Air from Above: Victory Series, Part 42
When someone snores while sleeping,
anyone in the room is miserable. And the next day, the only one not wearing
tooth-picked eyes is the snorer. "What's wrong with you guys? Why couldn't you
sleep? The beds sure were comfortable!"
Our devotional is not about snorers, however, but about snorkels. Did you know
that both words were related? It was first used in 1944 by the Germans ("Schnorchel")
to refer to airshafts in submarines. It was so named because of its semblance to
a nose and to its noise when in use.
Unlike the snorers however, snorkels bring relief to people in submarines--and
to divers as well!
While in Queenstown, New Zealand, we took a couple of Lord of the Rings tours.
One of these took us on a wild ride through a river, and no, we didn't use a
boat! Instead we drove in a land rover that had a snorkel attached to the
passenger side of the hood. I sure didn't know that cars could snorkel!
There were times when the river water covered most of the windshield, but the
land rover continued without difficulty. The tour guide however, told us about a
friend who tried to simulate a similar ride, without a snorkel. His car was
damaged beyond repair and without any hope of getting one cent from the
insurance company.
The reason for the snorkel? The car engine needs air. The snorkel, which draws
air from above water level, is a way to allow a car engine to drive through up
to 1.6 meters of water (5 feet) unhindered.
This is so true when experiencing victory in our lives as well. As long as we
have access to heavenly air, we can face any challenge. If we become filled with
our own egos, or side-tracked by the fake glamour of this life, we are headed
for a breakdown. Addictions become vicious, demanding all of our attention.
Problems arise out of nowhere. Relationships are broken, and numerous sleepless
nights become the norm.
It is time we put worship in its rightful place. Spending time with God, if done
right, is not a ritual, but a "snorkel" to heaven. It invigorates us not only
for victory, but also for making a difference in this life.
I love the time I spend with my Heavenly Dad, talking to Him about what I am
going through and sharing with Him the burdens of those facing tribulations. He
is the One who always inspires my solutions, and as I become more and more aware
of His presence in my life, I notice that He watches over me way beyond what I
expect. He truly is so awesome!
Oh I still have my fair share of troubles, but these no longer faze me. He is on
my side!
Worship time is not only for communication and getting closer to one another,
but it is also a time to show how much I appreciate that God is in my life
(A trait that many of us neglect even in our human relationships.).
Sometimes I do this by singing out to Him in "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs"
and at other times by singing and making music in my heart: "Speak to one
another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your
heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph 5:19-20 NIV)
By the way, singing like that is a snorkel to heaven as well: "Feature trumpets
and big trombones, Fill the air with praises to King God." (Ps 98:6 The Message)
"The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this
ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it. We couldn't carry
this off by our own efforts, and we know it..." (Phil 3:3 The Message)
Notice that singing our appreciation to our Maker is often an open door to the
fulfillment of our deepest needs: "Fill the air with song, you who've never
experienced childbirth! You're ending up with far more children than all those
childbearing women. God says so!" (Isa 54:1 The Message)
If I had to choose between snoring and having an air intake to heaven, I would
choose the snorkel, hands down. It will keep me from breaking down!
Rob Chaffart
