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

Three years ago a massive iceberg broke off the vast Antarctic ice shelf. It was so enormous that it was stuck there. Until last year, when it began spinning and then drifted away into the southern Atlantic. Apparently, it weighs 1.5 trillion metric tonnes and is 1,500 square kilometres in size. Over the next few years it is going to slowly drift away and melt, delivering enough water into the ocean to raise global sea levels several centimetres. An even bigger crack has now developed on the ice shelf and if it breaks loose it will be bigger than Great Britain.

The writer to the Hebrews exhorts us to avoid spiritual drift. It happens ever so slowly at first but, bit by bit, we get further away from the Lord and we begin to lose good practices and our faith cools. It’s possible even to forget where we came from.

Anchors of truth 

I am finding that now my lifestyle has changed somewhat, since leaving full time ministry, it is helpful to regularly pay careful attention to the things I have learned and known about the Lord, my hope and salvation, and the truths that have directed and anchored my life.

The writer goes on to give more helpful advice…

‘But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory… We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.’ (Hebrews 3:6, 3:14)

A strong faith and finishing well cannot be assumed. The writer here explains how an entire generation saw and experienced the greatest works of God ever seen, and yet they died in a wilderness because of unbelief. I am finding that as I get older my hope and faith get tested as never before. Health issues in us and friends are everyday realities. Our beloved church community has many folk who have been broken and the process of getting fixed isn’t straightforward. So, we need anchors of truth to hold onto now, possibly more than ever.

Milestones of surrender

I have found it really helpful to reflect and then return to those times in my journey when I have had a significant, life-determining encounter with the Lord. 

They are like milestones along the way for me. Moments where I have surrendered to my Lord, where Scripture has spoken into my life, where my life has taken a new direction. Looking back, I am encouraged, as I have seen that the Lord was faithful to his promises, and that the Lord is the same today as he has always been.

On Monday, I have been asked to speak at NavNetwork as they launch their 70th anniversary year. I am feeling led to share some of my encounters that today help me to stay focused on my calling to the Great Commission, even though we are ‘retired’.

Let me encourage you to return to some of your encounter points and avoid drift. Let me invite you to join us online next week to discover what it looks like to surrender your life to Jesus and to consider the choices that you need to make on the journey of faith.

An iceberg is a useless lump, which can cause a lot of damage and will inevitably disappear without a trace. Hold on firmly to the end, with confidence.