Nuclear Submarines

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” [3.John 2]

Nuclear submarines, or “Boomer submarines,” are among the most modern engineering wonders in the world. They are the equivalent to a tightly packed, self-contained city where a crew of 140 shares space equivalent to a three-bedroom house. The nuclear reactor provides heat energy, which is converted to electricity. This power is used to turn the propeller and send the submarine silently through the water. Because they carry their energy source with them, nuclear submarines are able to travel at least 400,000 miles without refueling. In addition to the torpedoes, the new Ohio class of nuclear submarines is equipped with 24 launching tubes holding warheads that may be fired from beneath the water to strike targets sometimes thousands of miles away. Each of these missiles is sufficient to completely obliterate major cities. If, God forbid, just one sub from each country fired on another nation, it would pretty much render life on this planet extinct.

Nuclear subs are deployed for months and can stay submerged for as long as 90 days. There is little contact with family during this time. This, combined with the pressure of being prepared to launch nuclear weapons, makes it one of the most stressful assignments in the military. To compensate, the Navy trains the best chefs for these subs. Notice I did not say cooks! A meal might consist of prime rib, lobster tails, sautéed mushrooms, baked potatoes, fresh bread, freshly squeezed lemonade, and real chocolate cake for dessert. And all this is done in an 8-foot by 10- foot galley that is barely larger than the kitchen in a small apartment. You can understand why submariners are the only fighting force that often gains weight during deployment.

They say an army travels on its stomach. That’s why the military spends millions of dollars carefully evaluating what their soldiers eat. Then why do many Christians believe that God does not care what His soldiers eat? The Bible clearly teaches, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1.Corinthians 10:31). Since our body is the temple of God (6:19), we should present our bodies as a “living” sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1,2) and not abuse them with gluttony, especially because we are soldiers in God’s army.