Are You Drifting?

Hebrews 2:1-4 (NIV) 

1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Moored at Hokkaido, Japan, the 164-foot Japanese ship, the Ryou-Un Maru, was destined to be cut up and sent to the scrap heap.

That's when fate intervened in the form of a tsunami.

The violence of the waves broke the ship free of its moorings and sent her adrift. She has been adrift on an ever-so-slow voyage across the Pacific ever since. For those of you who are wondering what ever-so-slow means, in this case, in recent weeks, it means the ship has been moving forward at the rate of a mile a day.

Of course, a drifting ship is not a good thing. When a drifting ship sneaks into the crowded sea lanes, there is always the danger of collision. If the drifter goes aground and breaks up, there is an oil spill to contend with. Nobody knew how much diesel fuel was still left on the Ryuo-Un Maru, but her tanks could hold up to 2,000 gallons of the black stuff. That could be a mess.

All of this explains why a U.S. Coast Guard cutter put an end to the ship's drifting. At first, the U.S. vessel peppered the Ryuo-Un Maru with 25 mm shells. Then they switched to the more powerful 50 mm. It took about four hours for the vessel to go down in 6,000-feet-deep water and 180 miles from the Alaskan coast.

Nope, aimless drifting is not a good thing: not for a ship, not for a Christian.

That's the warning the writer of the book of Hebrews was giving when he wrote: "we must pay much closer attention to what we've heard lest we drift away."

It makes little difference whether you lived then or now, there are many voices trying to drown out the true redemption message the Lord has given us in the life, suffering, murder and resurrection of His Son.

You're heard those voices. There are those who say, "Jesus' substitution for us never happened and the Bible is a myth." There are others who say, "Some of it happened, but we can't be sure what is truth and what is fiction. And, of course, there are those who say, "It doesn't make any difference what you believe as long as you sincerely believe in something."

To any and all who would undermine Scriptural truth, our Daily Devotion passage counters with this encouraging reminder: look closely and don't drift. Jesus has risen and salvation's work is done. Pay attention and believe: by faith in the risen Redeemer we are saved.

Dear Lord, we pray that You will keep us safely anchored in the truth of Scripture. Thank You for the salvation You completed by dying on the cross and raising again. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.