Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Fish and submarines

Another sermon illustration:

If you were to climb into a submarine you might think that, as long as it held watertight, you could glide on down to the bottom of the ocean. Sadly, if you tried to do this you'd soon discover how mistaken you are. Submarines can only go so deep before the pressure of the water crushes them like an empty soft drink can being crumpled by your hand. Indeed, a number of years ago submarine called the Thresher went down too deep. The water pressure rose to the point that the submarines heavy steel bulkheads were crushed. The sub was torn apart, leaving pieces of debris scattered across the ocean floor for searchers to find.
If you want to go down really deep you need a specially designed research vessel shielded by heavy steel armour. Now imagine you jumped into one of these heavily clad research vessels and headed down to the ocean depths. Guess what you'd find? Fish. Fish! Fish with skin just millimetres thick.
How is it that fish with just a thin skin covering can survive the pressure of such great depths, where a submarine with thick steel plates cannot?
The answer is quite simple: fish have equal and opposite pressure inside them. Submarines do not.

The world will try to squeeze us into its mould, to respond to hurts with jealousy hatred and bitterness. But if we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we will have the strength to resist.

1 comment:

kc bob said...

I will have to remember #31.. and you might want to re-think #25 :)