Chi, Chi, Chi! Le, Le, Le!

Photo credit: Washington Post

I cannot stop watching.

Every time that capsule goes underground empty and comes back filled with one more miner, my heart jumps and my eyes fill with tears.

What can I say? I'm hormonal.

And emotional. Rightly so, I'd say. This whole miner rescue thing is really a miracle. And I do mean miracle. Who among us didn't entertain the thought 69 days ago that there was no way these guys were ever going to get out of there? Maybe I'm just showing my lack of faith again, but I sure thought about the possibility that they wouldn't ever see the light of day again.

But now, today, they are. Behind some pretty serious sunglasses so their eyes don't get damaged from the sudden shift from darkness to light, but they are definitely seeing the light of day.

They have dealt with cramped quarters, darkness, lack of food (although they were able to get some), missing their families, illness, and much more. And they have had to deal with each other.

I don't know about you, but I think I might get just a little bit tired of dealing with the same 33 people for 2 1/2 months straight. The complaining. The whining. The lack of personal hygiene. And that's just how I'd be acting if I were down there. They'd all hate me within about 24 hours. It's amazing my own family puts up with me.

This afternoon I turned on one of the news channels for a few minutes and heard something that made my ears perk up. The commentator was describing one of the men coming up out of the hole and he said, probably without thinking, "It's just like they are being born again." In more ways than one, Mr. Commentator. In more ways than one.

And just now, as I was writing this, the President of Chile was greeting the man who just came out of the hole and said, "Welcome back to life."

I look at the people hugging, kissing, patting each other on the back, clearly thrilled with this rebirth, and I hope and pray that these men truly do know the gift that they have been given. The rebirth with which they have been blessed.

I wonder. Do I? Do I rejoice in this way over the rebirth I've been given? Do I ever stop to think that at one time I was just like a miner trapped underground--a person facing death, without hope. And God reached down and gave me the gift of life. A gift I didn't deserve, but a gift for which I am so grateful.

Did you notice the shirts they were wearing when they came up out of the ground? The name of Jesus was written across their sleve, and a Bible verse written across their backs. It is Psalm 95:4: "In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountains belong to Him." Right there, for all the world to see.

God has been good. So good. To the miners, yes. But also to me.