Diligent or Drifting?

Warning to Pay Attention

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard,

so that we do not drift away. (Heb. 2:1 ~ NIV)

I enjoy the ocean. But, I’m generally more of an onlooker. I enjoy just sitting, looking at it and listening to it more than anything. But, once in a while, I will venture out and take a plunge.

And I don’t know about you, but once I’ve taken the plunge, I pay special attention to everything around me. I’m alert. After all, this is no chlorine-balanced, pest-free swimming pool. It’s the ocean. Powerful. Ebbing and flowing with undeniable energy and force. The floor is uneven. The surroundings constantly changing. And don’t forget about the creepy things that lurk within. Slimy things. And things that could chomp your left leg off in 5 seconds flat. *Bleh*

But, if you’re like me, once you get in there and get your bearings (and get the theme song from “Jaws” out of your head), you begin to really relax and enjoy it. You start to rest in the gentle current. You stop worrying about any predators. You don’t worry about losing your footing. You begin to just ‘go with the flow’ and all is right with the world. Taking in the warm sun and gentle breeze.

Until you realize you’ve just been carried down the shoreline about a mile and a half. You look up and all the hotels look the same. And you’re not exactly sure which one is yours anymore. You don’t see your family and friends. And you can’t seem to find your footing. And….. Ewwww!!! What was that that just slithered past my arm???

How easy it is to become complacent when all seems to be going well.

The same is true in our walks of faith. How diligent are you when life is going smoothly? I know I find it more difficult. When all is well, I think most of us have a tendancy to ‘drift’. To coast. Take it on cruise control. But, I know I’ve learned that it’s then that you hit the rough waters. Lose your footing. And begin to feel like shark bait at feeding time.

~

“It doesn’t take any effort to drift. If you’ve ever gotten on a raft and floated down a river on a sunny day, you know that there is real pleasure in drifting – at least for a while. But it doesn’t necessarily take you where you want to go.

“We have been invited to tie up our rafts to the safe and secure harbor of salvation. But some of us have just never made that commitment. We haven’t tied ourselves to Jesus. And we’re in danger of drifting. We may be interested in Christ and intend to stay close, but time and circumstances cause us to drift and without even realizing it, we may find ourselves slipping away completely from the opportunity to know Jesus in a saving way.

“Others of us have tethered ourselves to Christ, and yet in our hearts and minds we are drifting. If you’re honest, would you have to say that as you look back over your life, there was a time you were more in love with Jesus, more fascinated with his Word, more attuned to his Spirit than you are now? Was there a time you were closer to Jesus? You never made the decision to drift away. You never intended for the relationship to gorw cold. But you’ve drifted. You’ve lost that firm grip.

“This word of warning is for all of us. We need to nurture our furious obsessions with Jesus. Let’s anchor ourselves to him, stay close to him, and not allow ourselves to drift” (N. Guthrie ‘Hoping for Something Better’ ~ a study on the book of Hebrews).

~

The Rope (Martina McBride)
http://www.last.fm/music/Martina+McBride/_/The+Rope

Click on link to listen to "The Rope"

In waters calm I sailed from shore

To see what I might see

And having never sailed beforeI drifted aimlessly

A warm breeze rocked my boat until

In slumber I fell sound

But woke to find the light grown dim

And dark clouds gathering ’round

In haste I worked at turning back

But now the wind blew wrong

And when the night came cold and black

My strength was almost gone

But with one last small thread of hope

I bowed my head to pray

Then through the dark I saw a rope

And heard a calm voice say

‘Grab the rope hold it tight

In the distance shines a light

Neither fear nor feel alone

There is One Who’ll lead you home’

I heard my heart beat loud and fast

But did as I was told

And with the rosy dawn at last

Dry land I did behold

I kissed the sandy banks and swore

My sailing days were through

But should I ever stray from shore

I know now what to do

‘Grab the rope hold it tight

In the distance shines a light

Neither fear nor feel alone

There is One Who’ll lead you home’

‘Grab the rope hold it tight

In the distance shines a light’

~