“Rats in the Tub”

    Several years ago I read a story about an experiment on endurance that was conducted at the University of California in Berkley involving Norwegian field rats. The rats were placed in a tub of water, where they were forced to swim until they grew exhausted and finally drowned. During the first experiment, the researchers discovered that on the average, Norwegian field rats were capable of swimming for over seven hours before drowning. A second experiment was conducted, exactly like the first one but with one exception. When a rat was getting too exhausted to swim any longer, the researchers would remove the rat from the tub of water for a few seconds, and then put the rat back into the water to continue swimming. These rats were able to swim for almost twenty hours before perishing. The researchers concluded that the rats in the second group were able to swim much longer than the first because they had “HOPE”. They had experienced a rescue; and what kept them going was the hope that they would be rescued again. (Youth Specialties pg 145)

    We humans are no different. Without hope, we drown. But with hope, we have a reason to live. Hope indeed keeps us going. It has been said that “as oxygen is to the lungs, so hope is to the human heart”. Unfortunately, many people today have false and empty hopes. They put their hopes in technology, or in the accumulating of stuff, “The one who dies with the most toys wins!” These hopes are like fool’s gold; ultimately they are worthless and have no real power to keep us afloat. Jesus came that our hope might be restored, and that we might know his newness of life year after year. This means no matter what happens, nothing can stand in the way of our hope. Christian hope is a living hope, an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for us (2 Peter 1: 3-4).

    Until next time beloved, grasp the hand of Jesus once again in 2009 as the New Year begins. Wherever the river of life takes us we will have hope, assurance, direction, and purpose. As children of the King we WILL keep swimming.

Blessings to all of you in the New Year;

PK