Tunnel Vision

The company I work for was tasked with designing a very large water main to carry water from the Cape Fear River to a nearby water treatment plant. The goal is for the dirty river water to eventually become drinking water for people who live in Wilmington. To move that water, a large pipeline needs to be constructed, and someone needs to make sure that pipe is put together correctly. Today’s devotional photo is a photo from inside this pipe, taken by the person who is tasked with inspecting nearly 14 miles of it over a 2-year period. Oh, and I forgot to mention, that person is me! As of last week, I have completed about 4 of the 14 miles, so there’s still a long way to go. If you think this is scary and creepy, welcome to the club. It’s definitely a little nerve-racking, but it reminds me of the story of Jonah.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Jonah from the Old Testament. Jonah was an Israelite who God had called to be a prophet, but Jonah didn’t want to listen. Jonah decided to get on a boat with some sailors to avoid God’s calling and God created a great storm out of anger. When the sailors realized that the storm was happening because Jonah was making God angry, they threw him overboard. God spared Jonah’s life by sending a “great fish” (which we think was a whale) to swallow Jonah and hold him inside the stomach of the fish for 3 days. When God called the fish to “vomit Jonah onto dry land” he took up God’s prophetic calling for his life in Nineveh.

I obviously have never been inside the stomach of a whale, but I think being inside a long, dark pipe is pretty close. After a while, you get tunnel vision, and can only focus on what’s directly in front of you. When Jonah was inside the whale, he prayed to God in distress and was only focused on his future with the Lord in his prayers. It’s easy to take for granted how often God protects us, but He does. In times of darkness and uncertainty, a future with God is much better than a future without. There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

-Jacob

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