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
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.