Heirs of Salvation

Transcribed Extract: LIFE ADRIFT

That, you know is something that can happen, it can happen easily in the Christian life. That’s what the writer is saying here. There is a kind of carelessness of mind, perhaps a preoccupation with other things, a lack of awareness of what’s going on. A kind of drifting, which is the opposite of ‘going on to maturity’, which the writer talks about, or ‘drawing near confidently to God’ or ‘running the race that is set before us. All of those metaphors are used of the Christian life. And they’re energetic metaphors, aren’t they? There’s action involved. There’s determination involved. Grow up into maturity. Draw near to God with confidence. Run the race that’s set before you. And it can happen so silently, secretly, without your noticing. It maybe begins because you’re a bit nervous about making too much about your Christian profession in public. Or you’re afraid. The kinds of seasons in which it is easy to drift are probably seasons where, for example, you’re experiencing or enjoying peace and prosperity. Things are going well in your life. You’re well. The kids are well. The family is well. The world’s well. Everything’s well. The career’s doing famously. You’re doing famously. Everything is just whippety-do! It’s great!. And in those circumstances, well, serious thoughts aren’t the kind of thoughts you want to have. And in those circumstances, it is very easy to drift silently. And find yourself, a month, two months, two years, ten years, far away from where you are today. The danger of drifting!