We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1

Imagine floating on a raft along the peaceful shore of the ocean.  You are relaxing, enjoying the feeling of the water moving under you…the quiet and peace of it…the sounds of the birds.  Maybe you even close your eyes for a moment and start to doze off. 

After a while, you suddenly open your eyes and realize you have drifted out way too far!  You scramble trying to get to shore but you’ve drifted too far.  The pull of the water is too strong.  All the effort is wasted, there is no getting back.  At least not on your own. 

This can happen to us in life too.  We can drift away from what the Bible teaches us.  Even dedicated Christians can drift from the Gospel sometimes without realizing it is happening.  We can get too busy to pray, we can be too scheduled to get to church activities.  Little by little, culture and the trials of life can start to pull you away.  Until one day you have drifted so far from the life God had in mind for you, it is too hard to get back.  Or is it? 

Hebrews 2:1 tells us that we must be careful not to drift away from God’s Word.  But the author also tells us in Hebrews 2:18 that Jesus was tempted and suffered, and because of that He can help us when we are suffering or being tempted.  Jesus knew what it was like to be pulled in the wrong direction and to start drifting away.  He knew what it was like to be in pain, to be hungry, to be tired.  Our God is sympathetic to our troubles, and does not leave us alone to face those struggles.  Jesus left His Spirit here on earth to help us. 

So when you feel yourself drifting, reach out.  Reach out and take the hand that is being offered to you. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him…” Matthew 14:31a