Drifting

We are having an above average amount of snowfall to date this winter. It must be expected when living in Maine. I enjoy watching the snow fall. There is something peaceful about it as the flakes float downward and are moved about by the wind. I just don't like cleaning the driveway up after a storm.

The idea of floating snow flakes causes me to think about the words in Hebrews 2:1 which I just recently read.

"It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off." (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language)

Drifting faith is the warning. Drifting snow is alot like some people's faith. The flakes are all over the place with no other purpose than to land wherever the wind blows them. Some people's faith is like that. There is no spiritual foundation or purpose to life.

As a youth pastor in New Jersey many, many years ago, I took the youth group on a 6 hour canoe trip down a stream. It was a peaceful, sort of lazy trip. Because there was an odd number in our group, I ended up with a canoe all to myself. The current just moved us along. I didn't have to do much in the way of paddling. I just moved silently along enjoying the warmth of the sun. But every once in awhile, as I was day dreaming and not paying attention I would bump into another canoe in our group or end up stuck in some shallow water. I think that is kind a what the Hebrew writer is warning us to be careful to avoid.

On another occasion as a child, my family went to the beach one hot summer day along the Jersey shore. The ocean water was warm, the sun shone brightly. It was a perfect day to be in the water. And that is exactly what I did. I would swim out as far as I dared and let the crashing waves push me back to the beach. I would swim back out and let the waves bring me back in. This went on for quite some time. Finally, after tiring and desiring to be in the company of my parents I came back up on the beach only to discover to my surprise and shock that my parents and the family blanket were not where I had left them when I first went into the water. After some panick and some scouting about I found them. What had happened was that the ocean currents had moved me some distance down the beach because I had not been paying attention to my location in relation to our beach blanket. I was too busy enjoying myself.

Drifting off course is one of those great evil influences that affects the believers life. There are so many currents, so many elements that can catch us unexpectantly. They move silently, carrying us about without our ever taking notice because we are so absorbed by our own inner desires or surrounding distractions. It's a kind of our own spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder.

Are you paying attention today to the One who is our spiritual foundation?