BBD 07.30.02 Stay in the Race
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org
If this devotional is a blessing to you, maybe you have a friend or family
member who would like to start receiving it. Subscribing is easy. Send a
blank email to burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org or to subscribe to
the html version send a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org
The Burning Bush Devotional
07.30.02
Stay in the Race
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith." - II Timothy 4:7.
In order to bring about the rescue of the nine miners from the Quecreek Mine
in western Pennsylvania it was necessary to assemble a large amount of
equipment and manpower in a short period of time. It was a desperate
operation in a race against time, which involved more than 150 workers and
many tons of heavy equipment. The rescue involved making calculated risks
of where and when to drill. Decisions had to be made about pumping out
water and pumping in air. There was also a terrible setback when a drill
bit broke resulting in a delay of 18 hours. Those hours seemed like an
eternity to the rescuers and to the trapped miners who could no longer hear
the noise of the drilling. Questions passed through their minds as to
whether the miners would still be alive after such a long delay, could they
still reach them in time?
We know now that the miners were reached in time and that the decisions made
under difficult conditions were the right ones. With the rescue effort we
see a parable of the Christian life. We walk by faith and not by sight. We
see through a "glass darkly" while we are living here on Planet Earth. We
have to make decisions many times without seeing everything in black and
white and only believing that we are doing what the Lord would have us to
do. Our lives the apostle Paul says are like being in a fight and a race at
the same time. The rescuers of the miners were in a race against time and
in a fight against the difficult conditions and uncertainties to bring about
the rescue.
During our race we too will sometimes experience setbacks or what we think
are setbacks. The rescuers broke a drill bit and it set them back for 18
very long hours. What a terrible thing we all thought! But now we know it
was really not such a terrible thing. Instead it was a lifesaving miracle
that prevented the deaths of the miners. According to the miners if the
drill had punched through the ceiling of the mine sooner than it did then
the delicate air bubble that was keeping them alive would have been
ruptured. If the air bubble had been ruptured it would have allowed the
water to rush in but with the additional time pumps were able to reduce the
water level so that the miner's chamber was not flooded. How many times
even now can we look back and see that what seemed to be some horrible thing
at the time was actually a good thing? And some day when we have fought the
good fight and finished the race we will look back over our lives. As we
look at many of the difficulties that we encountered in our lives most
likely we will see that many were for our benefit (Romans 8:28).
So the next time your drill bit breaks and you are delayed or have to change
course remember it may not be such a bad thing. Stay in the race, keep the
faith and keep on fighting!
Copyright © 2002. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
devotionals on a non-profit basis with source credited.
If I can help you in any way please contact me at wrather@logixonline.net
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer
requests to over 500 members. Send a blank email
to: theburningbush-subscribe@welovegod.org
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email
to: bbinspire-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email
to: tbbrr-subcribe@yahoogroups.com