Tighten Your Connection

It was my first and last experience with a pneumatic drill, which is a jackhammer with a star bit instead of a chisel bit. We four volunteers were to dig a septic tank for the caretaker's house at a Christian camp. After three feet of digging we hit bedrock--pre-Cambrian limestone. That's when they showed us how to use the drill.

We bored a hole for a dynamite charge to break up the rock. The thunderous blast sent 20-pound chunks of rock a hundred feet into the air, but did not break up the rock far enough down. One young man was boring a new hole while the rest of us jammed prybars into the cracks in the bedrock to lift out chunks broken up by the first blast. That's when it happened.

There was a loud boom. The compressor hose had popped off, and like the sprayer on a loose water hose, it snaked around wildly, showering us with bits of rock. We scrambled out of there as quick as we could. A weak connection made it inevitable that the hose would blow when the pressure was great enough.

Have you ever known anybody who blows up under pressure? Do you? I do too sometimes. But look at Jesus. It wasn't as if He didn't have pressure. Judean midnights are chilly in March or April, yet His sweat was like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). The pressure was tremendous, but He used all that pressure to propel a great purpose--the redemption of the world-because He tightened the connection. "Father, remove this drink. Father, accomplish Your will over mine. Father, forgive their ignorance of what they are doing. My God, why have your abandoned me? Father, receive my spirit."

What do you do when the pressure of your life builds and builds? Do you tighten your connection with God? Or is that the very time you let go of Him? We will know by whether there comes from you some great achievement--or a loud boom.

Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles on subjects of interest to Bible students. He has taught Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses Bible college, university, and adult education programs. He has taught seminars and workshops in 11 states and the Caribbean.

Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore "The Shallows," plumb "The Depths," or use the well-organized "Study Links" for original sources in English translation. Sign up for Steve's free "DeeperStudy Newsletter."

More resources:

RELATED ARTICLES

Succeed by Whistling While You Work
Mark Twain (1835-1910) believed that having fun is important if you want to be successful."The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation.

A Feline Example On Courage
Fangs. Killer claws.

Challenge Your Problems
Life teaches us in peculiar ways. It knocks us down.

Each Moment Is To Be Treasured
Let us grasp and treasure each precious moment of our lives. The previous moment is gone and the next is on its way.

Patience - The Antidote for Stress
Why is it so difficult to hold steadfast to a commitment to the very thing we desire? I'm sure you've had the experience of challenging your client with something to do, or to be, in service of moving them closer to their heart's desire. As you reconvene again and again, you note that the client can't seem to stay committed to the steps that will realize their dreams.

I.Q. You Q. He, She, or It Qs.
I have, in recent years, come to believe that IQ tests are a waste of time for most of us, and a waste of money for some of us. In fact, as a general rule of thumb, if you want to know how stupid you are, check to see if you're paying for an online IQ test.

Why Buddhism Succeeds - The Right Thing is the Thing to do
The ongoing teachings are exemplified in an understanding and execution of two ideas, which I will briefly describe:Karma: the Buddhist interpretation is in the words and actions of the individual. It means that good work brings about a good rebirth, and that each rebirth is a reflection of the good living and good deeds in the prior life.

Keep on Keeping on!
Whenever we are working on our dreams we are going to run into some road blocks or obstacles. The important thing for us to remember is that these are only temporary set backs.

Just One Person We All Need
I understand that all the self made people of this world, be it:the late Abraham Lincoln, former President of the United States, who failed at most levels in his early life. This can de-motivate even the strongest people in the world, but he continued and became the President.

Listening to Your Inner Voice May Save Your Life
"I was washing my breakfast dishes one morning when it occurred to me to go visit a friend who lived several miles away. I did my work and started to dress for my journey, when there came over me such a feeling of depression, or despondency, or gloom, that I could not understand.

Withstand the Test of Time
As I drove home from work late one wintry afternoon, chilled from the freezing temperatures, I noticed the beautiful trees aligned on both sides of the road. Amongst the evergreens and the pine trees, one tree in particular caught my attention as it majestically stood, with its strong branches extending outward.

You Can Make a Difference
When I study of world these days, I see a lot of despair, and hopeless. There are countless problems that our society faces such as war, the degradation of the environment, and crimeHowever, I believe that there is hope for the future of society.

Discover How To Make The Success Generating Imagination Work For You
The secret power of positive thinkers is their faith. And this faith is the power of God working through their imagination.

"Back to CYA on a Mission"
Six former wards came back to the California Youth Authority (CYA) earlier this month. This time they volunteered to return.

Why Be Great?
Have you ever thought of what it would take to make you "truly great" at what you do?Look around you at your employees and co-workers and ask yourself whether or not any of them are "truly great" at what they do. No doubt some of them really excel at their jobs and at life, while others just seem to get by.

My Mothers Garden
I love to talk about Purposeful Living with others and share how it's affected my life. But sometimes when I get to the part about doing what you need to do my listeners eyes glaze over and I know I've lost them.

Maternal Instincts
Direct Answers - Column for the week of October 14, 2002I am a woman in her mid-60s whose husband passed away, and I do not want to enter into a relationship with another man. I have no family in town other than my daughter.

Adversity, What Is It Good For?
As I sat down to write this article, I was reflecting back over the last week - a week filled with adversity. We all go through it and it is during those times that we may often wonder what is it all for anyway? What is the point? What is it good for?I decided to look up the word, adversity, from my old American Heritage Dictionary.

Lance Armstrong an Inspiration
Lance Armstrong has already proven he is the greatest athlete ever in the present period. Many ask what drives a man to press on, where does such strength of character come from.

The Rumble in the Jungle: Revealing Greatness
The other night I was watching a documentary on that famous boxing match called The Rumble in the Jungle. The fight was between Muhammad Ali (Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee) and George Foreman.