Wear Your Helmet!

If you were among the few lucky individuals to have the opportunity to travel into space, you would want to know everything you could about that bulky space suit that stands between your ability to breath and certain death. You would take every precaution to prevent your body fluids from boiling, your eyes from drying out and your breathing to stop. You would wear your suit. You would treasure it! Despite the awkward bulk of the equipment, the pure oxygen filtering in the suit would be soothing and the thought of loosing that air would bring panic and danger.

Remember this scene in Toy Story.

Sure, Buzz was only a toy and not in any real danger, but a human being walking in space would face extreme danger if their helmet were to open.

When we think of the result we think of instant death, but NASA studies confirm that the death process in that case would be slower than expected.

“Here's what happens when you are suddenly exposed to the vacuum of space.

1. If you hold your breath, your lungs will rupture, which will be fatal even if you are taken back inside right away
2. If you exhale, all blood passing through your lungs will be deoxygenated. It takes about 15 seconds for blood to go from your lungs to your brain, so you have about 15 seconds of consciousness.
3. The liquid in any exposed mucus membranes (eyes, nose, and mouth) will start evaporating, leading to rapid cooling, and severe frostbite after a couple minutes
4. After around 5 minutes, your brain will start sustaining permanent damage due to oxygen deprivation
5. You will also experience slight nitrogen narcosis ("the bends"), but the oxygen deprivation will kill you much faster than this.

Your chances of a full recovery are very high after 30 seconds of exposure. There may be permanent frostbite damage after 2 minutes. After 5 minutes, your chances of survival diminish rapidly.” (Taken from an answer written on Yahoo! Answers)

Pretty scary stuff right?
But here is the part that is the scariest. . .
There are many people walking on earth today who are about 15 seconds away from losing consciousness. I’m not talking about physical death, but spiritual. They have been exposed to a powerful sin nature that has infected our planet since the garden. They’ve refused to wear the equipment provided. It wasn’t comfortable. It asked too much of them. The excuses went on and on. Ultimately, they’ve failed to put on the helmet of salvation and guard against the effects and influence of our damaged world. They don’t know or realize the impact of this decision.

Worse yet, the effects aren’t what they might have expected. With no instant consequence, they might even think they are safe. See, they broke every rule in book and nothing “smote” them. They are fine. In a moment of complete insanity they feel a sense of calm that they got away with something. They stood against God and won.
But then, just as they begin the assent of pride, pressure begins to press against them on every side. The weight of their decision is heavy and before long the truth is obscured by lies. They’ve lost consciousness of God. They don’t know who they are or who they were made for. They gasp for air and struggle for something out of reach while clarity fades. The living water in their bodies has dried out rapidly and they are craving something they can’t explain.

We must wear our helmets. We must make every attempt to share this protective devise with our children. The cost of ignoring it is great!

It’s time for a rescue. After 5 minutes in darkness, death is grabbing a hold. We need to act before it’s too late.

Parents have a beautiful and important task of leading their family toward truth. We’d never dream of letting our toddlers swim the deep end without floaties and an adult at their side. We understand naturally that it’s important to protect what we love.

God felt exactly the same about you. He provided safety from every danger that crept in, even the ones we invited ourselves. He made a way. He shaped the helmet of salvation and endured the death of his own son to create it,but we have to choose to put it on. Its presence allows us to walk in unending conscious awareness of the sacrifice and goodness of our savior. Because of salvation we are able to breathe in the pure oxygen of his word to us. With our helmet on we begin to enjoy the damp beauty of the river of god flowing in our lives. We see clearly through the visor every challenge and obstacle ahead. We walk prepared. We live.

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (KJV)