Breathing Underwater
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
2 Corinthians 4:14–16
Fish have gills which allow them to separate the oxygen from the water in which they swim, but humans have no such apparatus and can only stay underwater for short periods of time. In the late 1800s, large bulky systems to provide oxygen for divers began to be used, mostly for salvage and underwater construction operations. The modern idea of diving for pleasure took longer to develop. In 1952, a Major in the US Army, Christian Lambertsen, received a patent for an idea for a re-breathing system he had developed for use during World War II. The name which we still use today, scuba, is an acronym for the description of the device: self contained underwater breathing apparatus.
The reason that a diver can stay underwater for lengthy periods of time is that he takes an air supply with him. As Christians we are surrounded by a hostile environment in the world. We cannot “breathe” in those surroundings. But we have been given a source of strength and power within that allows us to function with power and victory even though we are operating in enemy territory. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
The ocean outside a diver’s face plate is hostile but unable to harm him as long as the system works properly and he does not allow it inside. The air flows freely from the tank into his lungs. We have the Holy Spirit of God to give us victory over the world—provided that we keep the world on the outside.
2 Corinthians 4:14–16
Fish have gills which allow them to separate the oxygen from the water in which they swim, but humans have no such apparatus and can only stay underwater for short periods of time. In the late 1800s, large bulky systems to provide oxygen for divers began to be used, mostly for salvage and underwater construction operations. The modern idea of diving for pleasure took longer to develop. In 1952, a Major in the US Army, Christian Lambertsen, received a patent for an idea for a re-breathing system he had developed for use during World War II. The name which we still use today, scuba, is an acronym for the description of the device: self contained underwater breathing apparatus.
The reason that a diver can stay underwater for lengthy periods of time is that he takes an air supply with him. As Christians we are surrounded by a hostile environment in the world. We cannot “breathe” in those surroundings. But we have been given a source of strength and power within that allows us to function with power and victory even though we are operating in enemy territory. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
The ocean outside a diver’s face plate is hostile but unable to harm him as long as the system works properly and he does not allow it inside. The air flows freely from the tank into his lungs. We have the Holy Spirit of God to give us victory over the world—provided that we keep the world on the outside.
Today’s Growth Principle:
The world outside our hearts cannot derail us; that only happens if we let it inside our hearts.
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