Articles
Drifting
Have you ever been in a boat or canoe, floating down a stream or river and put the oars down and begin to drift along? It’s a relaxing time where you can listen to the sounds of nature. The only problem is when you begin to drift, you are not always sure of where you are going and before you know it, you could be caught in danger.
When one becomes a Christian and is raised from the waters of baptism, they pick up their spiritual oars and begin to paddle the rivers of life. They begin to face trials and tribulations but with God’s help and forgiveness, they keep paddling. The sad reality is too many Christians put down their spiritual oars and begin to drift spiritually and yes, dangers now await their soul.
This drifting is slow at first and they still think about Jesus and worship Him. Slowly though, these and other activities become less and less in their life and they begin slowly and surely drifting away from their service to God.
Drifting spiritually is very deceptive. No Christian wakes up one morning and decides to leave the Lord. It is a gradual process that at first is slow and then picks up speed. This drifting is very similar to one in a boat where their drifting goes undetected and before they know it they are in danger. Those who are spiritually drifting away from the Lord don’t see the danger that is coming their way. In Rev. 3:17, Jesus describes people who are drifting away from God, “Because you say I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and needy.” Let me remind all of us that local churches can also drift away from their calling and work. When one drifts whether in a boat or in their spiritual life, it is always downstream. Hebrews 2:1 tells us, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away.” If you want to drift away from your service to God, then just put down your spiritual oars, the word of God, and you will be in spiritual danger.
Every Christian at times in their life feel like they may be drifting away from Jesus. When you do, you must quickly pick up your spiritual oars, God’s word, start reading it and using it as your guide through life. Drifting may not only cause you to be lost spiritually but also may cause so many others to be lost also.
Most Christians are probably not going to leave the Lord totally but they are going to drift in and out in their service to God. The consequences that will happen if the Lord returns when you have drifted away and not come back yet are too tragic to think about. So let us all be resolved no longer to drift away from God but rather row quicker and more often spiritually to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
