Whether boys are standing beside a small creek or on a bridge above a river, they will find something to toss into the water. It’s fun to watch things bump along as they float downstream. It’s also fun to be the one drifting. When we were much younger, Karen and I enjoyed floating down the Sandy River on inner tubes. It was so slow, that it would take all day to float the nine miles to our destination.
But drifting can also be dangerous. A boat without an anchor can drift into the rocks. A houseboat must be anchored to the pilings to prevent drift. The Bible says in Hebrews 2:1, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Why is the author of Hebrews giving this warning? Surely, he’s not talking about drifting down a river. What, then, is so dangerous?
The author is talking about spiritual currents. The “current” opinions of right and wrong change with each generation. When I was young, if I disrespected my teacher, I could expect him or her to give me a paddling. Today, teachers can’t even touch a child who is throwing a tantrum or just walks away from class. Instead they must herd them like cattle, hoping to talk the child into behaving.
These spiritual tides are the “current” ideas that are in vogue at the time. I get frustrated with some of the news programs because they seem to be pushing a particular agenda, wanting me to get on board with whatever is politically correct at the time. Whether it be climate change, or sexuality, or socialism, or countless other issues, standards of right and wrong are always changing in our culture.
What are we to do? Is there anything that remains constant, that can act as an anchor to keep us from drifting onto the rocks? Is there anything that will stand true regardless of the screaming voices of the culture around you? Yes, God has given us the Bible for this very reason. The Bible has stood the test of time. Throughout the centuries, regardless of time or country, the Bible has remained constant, an anchor that keeps us from drifting into danger. It doesn’t change regardless of the current social media sensation.
The Bible says that faith in Jesus Christ, specifically, is an “anchor for the soul.” I’m not saying my views on all these current issues are correct. But I’ve chosen Jesus to be the anchor for my soul and use the Bible as the anchor for my life. Jesus said that His words, if obeyed, will enable us to withstand the storms of life.
Drifting may be fun for a day on the river, but it is a dangerous way to live life. I encourage you to investigate Jesus and the Bible, if you haven’t done so already.
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