Long ago, at many times and in many
ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has
spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom
also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact
imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the
Majesty on high…. (Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV)
Therefore
we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away
from it. (Hebrews 2:1 ESV)
One of the
more prominent writers of the past century was the English scholar C.S. Lewis. His
thoughts have left an indelible mark upon many followers of Jesus. His books Mere
Christianity, Miracles, The Abolition of Man, The Great
Divorce, The Problem of Pain, the series The Chronicles of Narnia,
and his space trilogy have forced people to think. Much of his writings
occurred when the world was in conflict, WWII.
One of his
most popular books was The Screwtape Letters, an allegory of a demon
named Uncle Screwtape who wrote a nephew demon about effective ways to
discourage Christians.
If you were
the devil and wanted to crush someone’s faith in God, what would be your most
effective tactic?
Provide
persecution? Faith is built through
perseverance and struggle.
Rob
possessions? Inflict bodily harm? Job reveals misery may not lead to denial but greater blessing.
To slip-up someone’s
faith, one action produces great results: Do nothing! Do everything possible to
not awaken suspicion that something is wrong. Make people forget they have an
enemy. Make life as easy as can be and then let them drift. Before long they will glide so far off course
they will not know the way back.
Drifting is
one of the most deceptive influences affecting believers. Followers of Jesus often
arm themselves against the obvious but never the undetectable.
Years ago a
young man flew his small aircraft from Norway and landed at Red Square in
Moscow to the embarrassment of the Soviet government. The country had radar set
to look for missiles in the sky, not a plane over a hill.
In the
northern Black Hills is a beautiful body of water called Iron Creek Lake. From
Spearfish take a gravel road leading to the old ghost town of Tinton, about
fourteen miles away. Go over a small ridge and you come upon a quiet lake full
of rainbow trout. A friend had access to a row boat stored nearby. When my sons
were young we went there several times and they learned how to fish.
The lake
would often be glassy clear, without a breeze and a ripple. We would row to a
part of the lake where we wanted to cast our lines. Yet the boat was never
still. Without paying attention we were unknowingly, slowly, and ever so calmly
drifting.
If drifting
was disturbing, if it jarred and jolted, if it drew attention, people would go
to work to counteract the force. They would be on guard and resist the current.
But drifting comes without warning. No alarm bell rings. It happens without
detection. Gradually, silently, people move further and further off course. This
is the great deception.
Believers today
are floating on great currents. They have the current of natural desires – love
of ease, cravings for comfort, physical appetites. They also have the various currents
of social trends. Many attempt to run close to but not be a part of the spirit
of the age, accommodating damaging customs and unwholesome habits.
All these
currents are moving believers, they are never motionless. Christ followers are
impacted by them all, they continually influence. Scripture warns against them.
Drifting is the
path of least resistance
A great number of people pride themselves in
not making waves, not causing any problems, no matter if situations warrant
them.
People prefer an easy course. Then no energy is required. You just relax, let go, and cease struggling.
This often translates into submitting
to unwholesome influences and sinful desires. Never forget that by having a nature out of sync with God you are more
prone toward the unwholesome than the wholesome.
Faith in God differs with pop-psychology. Social
reform works from a core value that if people were in a perfect environment
they would naturally do what is right. Yet Adam and Eve had a perfect environment in the Garden of Eden and still
chose a different course. Given
an option, people will more readily choose selfishness and end up doing wrong.
Going with the flow and moving effortlessly is
more natural but goes toward destruction. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that
leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” (Matthew 7:13 ESV)
The narrow way is restricted, not by design,
but by lack of use. The concept
is of a path grown over with brush because very few people are using the road.
The trail was made narrow by lack of travelers.
No one ever by chance drifts toward God. Coming to the Lord involves energy. Coming to
Jesus involves resisting harmful cravings. Drifting away requires neither. Just surrender to the currents, the natural
forces, and faith will automatically diminish.
Drifting slowly
paralyzes
Drifting numbs a person’s sense of danger.
Even when believers are conscious of
drifting they get a false idea that God understands. They live with a fake hope that with a little
energy and effort they can reverse the course, they can turn things around.
Many underestimate the paralyzing
influence of a life set adrift.
A bird was seen on a piece of wood one winter
floating down the river towards Niagara Falls. The creature was enjoying the movement of the swiftly gliding stream,
having no sense of danger. With
its wings the creature could just fly off when it reached the point of danger.
Yet when it got to the edge of the falls
it tried to soar but could not. The
river’s mist had frozen the wings and the bird died as the water plunged over.
Your habits can dangerously fix you so
immovable to deadly drifts that you cannot free yourself, even when you want
to. To neglect daily prayers and
Bible reading is deceptive. To
think you can avoid church and not be affected is false. To shun the Pentecostal experience and the
gifts of the Holy Spirit and expect to have His supernatural presence is flawed.
While stationed in Okinawa a local
Pentecostal church was not located near Kadena Air Force Base. I started attending the base chapel services
but eventually lost interest. I decided I could live without worship gatherings.
Part of the problem was me. The services were not what I was used to or
expected. No excuse!
My attendance faltered but I thought, “I’m
doing okay.” Yet along with
church attendance Scripture reading and prayer also declined.
After returning to the States I received
orders for Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. I started attending a local
Assemblies of God church. At the
altar one Sunday evening I became deeply aware of the damage that occurred in
my relationship with God through my drifting patterns overseas.
Neglecting spiritual habits can become a
habit in itself. Before long a person starts drifting with others who are
dormant, powerless, and carnal in their spiritual pursuits.
Someone who went through a period of
disillusionment and spent a season church hopping told me, “It’s easy to float.
Nothing is expected.” He then concluded,
“I also ended up lacking spiritual depth.”
Loving God means
going against the tide
Holy Spirit initiative and personal
determination is required to follow Jesus. You are to equip yourselves to not
be “…tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of
doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Ephesians
4:14 ESV)
Why did the worldwide flood destroy Noah’s
generation? What were they indicted for? Genesis 6 states they were a generation of violence, of corruption and of
thinking evil continually. Many other
generations could easily be charged with similar condemnations.
Yet Jesus revealed the ultimate cause of their
destruction: “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the
ark, and they were unaware until the
flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew
24:38-39 ESV)
They were condemned for living unexamined
lives – drifting, yielding to earthly desires and social trends, going with the
flow. They were unprepared for
God’s visitation. He gave
warning but their drifting patterns made them unable to comprehend.
In contrast notice the commendation of Jesus toward
John the baptizer. He was not a
“reed shaken by the wind.” He
held the line and stayed the course.
What about you? Do you better identify with Noah’s generation
or John the baptizer? Living for
God requires effort, determination and self-control, all characteristics
associated with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Becoming spiritually indifferent has no such
demands. All that is required is to go with the flow and nothing can be easier.
How to avoid the
consequences of drifting
“We must pay
much closer attention to what we have heard.” (Hebrews 2:1) People
drift when they become apathetic to what God has declared.
Does Scripture still have an impact on your
life? His word gives the ability
to recognize dangerous currents. The
Bible warns of the deceptiveness of just getting by. You must anchor your life to the Lord Jesus,
and avoid the danger of spiritually unhealthy attachments.
Jesus never fails. Heaven and earth will pass
away, along with all fame and prominence, but Jesus never neglects your need.
Like a ship securely anchored, when a storm comes your boat will rest safely.
Growing up in Seattle the month of August was
spent during my elementary school years on our family boat exploring the San
Juan Islands of Puget Sound. Whenever
there was warning of a storm, my dad would pull out the navigational charts and
look for an inlet to wait it out.
In just a few critical moments a clear
distinction could be seen between the veteran sailors and the amateurs. The amateur would lay anchor while the veteran would drag anchor.
Outwardly the results appeared the same. The
anchors had been cast to the ocean floor. Yet the outcome was seen during the
storm. Those who lay anchor were displaced by the storm while those who
drag anchor remained put.
A life anchored to Jesus, an act consciously
made and diligently upheld, is continually tested by storms but never drifts.
“We have
this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the
inner place behind the curtain….” (Hebrews 6:19 ESV)
Backsliding
Have you been drifting? Similar to a
boat drifting on a calm lake, the motion is often undetected until a person
looks up and takes notice.
Take notice of your spiritual
condition. Is your love for Jesus as great as it was when you first put your
faith in God? Drifting was the leading problem in the Ephesians church recorded
in the final book of the Bible. They left their first love by neglect.
Stop drifting! Pay closer attention
to what you have heard. Stay anchored to Jesus.
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