DRIFT AWAY (NOT THE SONG)
HEBREWS 2:1
HEBREWS 2:1 NKJ
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
In 1973 Dobie Gray had a song called Drift Away that I loved. Give me the beat boys, and free my soul. I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away. At thirteen, I was not really paying close attention to the lyrics. The song starts with the line: day after day I'm so confused. . . Oh well.
The writer of Hebrews is not advocating getting lost in a song and drifting away. He is speaking to an important principle. We must continue to focus, continue to pay attention to what we have heard, or we will drift away from it.
This was written thousands of years before our digital distraction age, so the principle is timeless. When we lose focus, we drift. And the drift is in the wrong direction.
This is why I am such a big advocate of the Bible 365 plan. Every day we can get a reminder, a renewed focus on what we know about God and His Kingdom.
The principle of being consistent and intentional is a key to staying strong spiritually. Because the adverse of this verse is true. If we give a consistent focus to what we have heard, we will not drift. It seems as if our heart follows our focus. This is why Soloman spoke of God's word not departing from our eyes but keeping it in our hearts. Proverbs 4:20-22 is a short but powerful message on focus.
Drifting away works on a lazy afternoon in a boat but not for people in a spiritually dark world.
Application
Applying this principle starts with the admission that we are prone to drift when we are not intentional. Keeping a focus on what is most important holds true for marriages, businesses, churches, pretty much anything in the human arena.
To stay on track spiritually, be consistent. Don't think that you are above the drift away. Paul spoke of running the race to win and how he had to stay on top of things. And Paul was a strong, strong believer.
During the 2020 Pandemic, I witnessed way too much drift away. But it doesn't have to be that way. Give me God's word boys and feed my soul; staying strong in the Lord is how I roll so I won't drift away. I am sure Dobie Gray won't mind that I borrowed his song for a good cause.
Prayer
Lord, I purpose to stay focused on You and Your word. Since drifting is something I can control I choose not to.