“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1 NIV
The small boat sat at anchor, lazily rocking to the rhythm of the waves. They lapped softly at its sides until, at one time, unexpectedly, the anchor line gave way. As a result, it started on its own journey. One that no one, including itself, knew the final destination. The waves, the current, and the tide pushed it and pulled it, seeing it move farther and farther from where its owner intended it to remain. At first the boat seemed to move very slightly, only a hundred slow, silent feet per hour. But when those hours were compounded the little craft was over the horizon and out of sight. And so is a life on the seas of this world that is not firmly anchored in the truth of God daily.
The book of Hebrews is unique in that its message is not purely evangelical. Meaning its intent and purpose does not exactly mirror many of the other New Testament books in their gospel-centered objective. The letter of Hebrews was written to Jesus believing Jews who were seen to be in danger of falling away from the one and only truth for believers…the truth that abiding in Jesus Christ every step of every day was necessary to properly moor that life. You see, after that miracle moment of salvation in Christ occurs, this world does not stop turning and our minds, hearts, and bodies do not suddenly exist in a sinless, suspended animation. Life indeed does go on. But the question is, how do you persist in that joy, splendor, and newly found wonder that existed directly after that miracle moment of salvation transpired? For it is just as true today as it were with a diaspora of Jewish Christians living in 1st century Italy that the book of Hebrews is addressing…many today are saved by Christ but are living a life that has drifted ever so far from their Godly anchor.
When you think about drifting from the Lord, think about the process as it relates to our little hypothetical boat above. It is silent, it is barely noticeable, and at times, it even seems natural. And when you think about a life drifting from the truth, there are three main currents that will pull it from where God intends it to remain.
1) The world. Why do we assume the world is our friend? God clearly tells us in James 4:4, “don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” Such strong words from the Lord that seem to be so readily forgotten today as Christinas seek to politely knit their souls to this world. The world is readily and actively selling a message, and that message is clearly opposed to the truth of God. In fact, we see great polar opposites today between the message of God and the message of the world. Polar opposites attacking the very founding principles of what God speaks in His Word. God says marriage is one man and one woman; the world says it can be any combination you desire it to be. God says sex is reserved for the holy confines of marriage; the world says sex is a toy to be used at will for self-pleasure. God says He made them male and female; the world says you can be whatever gender fits your mood in the day. Folks, the currents of this sinful world will pull you ever so slowly from the truth of God until one day, you will look to the horizon and realize how truly lost you are without the north star of God’s truth firmly holding your anchor.
2) The flesh. Why do we assume our own internal direction is good for us? We are told in Jeremiah 17:9, “The human mind is the most deceitful of all things. It is incurable. No one can understand how deceitful it is.” If you are truly a Christian, then part of your redemption process was the full realization that all people, including yourself, are imperfect, depraved sinners. You don’t have to look past a class of 2nd graders and the natural instinct they possess to lie, cheat, covet, and be greedy, to realize the truth of this. God tells us to fear our own hearts, that they will cause us to drift from Him and instead go in our own direction. Yet the world boldly tells us to recklessly follow our hearts, do what’s in our heart, and above all, believe in your own heart. Because of our inherited sin-nature, our heart, and thus the desires of our flesh, perfectly align with what the world so freely offers; to see ourselves placed upon the throne of our own hearts, and as a result, see self-pleasure made our norm. It’s a recipe for disaster that sees ever so many Christians today drifting on the seas of self.
3) The evil one. Satan is real and he has a real plan, to steal, kill, destroy, and devour those that the Lord calls His own. In fact, the name satan means “adversary”, or one who opposes. Folks, satan is not just some silly cartoon or movie fluff, the Bible speaks of satan approximately 38 times across both the Old and New Testaments. Pride caused the most beautiful angel in heaven, satan, to challenge God for control, and as a result, he was defeated and cast out of heaven to earth, to forever be spurned. Satan’s goal is to either halt or completely stop the work of God and he does that by either halting or stopping the workers of God. And a quick and easy way to do that is for satan to tempt God’s workers with the message of self-gratification, self-worth, and especially the root of his fall, having great pride in oneself. Our pride sees us ever so happy to man the rudder our own boat as we purposefully steer in the opposite direction of God.
Friends, our study verse above tells us to pay careful attention to what we have heard in order to avoid drifting. And that is referring to the truth of God, His Word, His Holy scriptures, the Bible. If you are not being steeped and immersed in the message of God’s Word daily, then I promise you another message is reaching your ears…and your heart. Pay careful attention that your life is being anchored to the one anchor line that will never weaken, sever, or give way. For a life anchored firmly in the Lord is a life anchored into the endless seas of eternity.
I pray you are firmly anchored in the Lord in this day ~ Dan
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf...” Hebrews 6:19-20a NIV
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