DRIFTING

"My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back . . . ." (James 5:19).

 

The word "stray" in this verse is used in other places speak of the movement of the planets. Here, it can mean, a sort-of spiritual drifting. It happens when we begin to gradually move away from the presence of God. We start making decisions that move us away from the activity of God rather than towards it. Perhaps, we skip coming to worship for some reason--and then it's a few times--and then we don't go at all. We're drifting. The truth, mentioned here, is not some philosophical idea--The truth is a person--Jesus. He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). So, when we drift from Jesus, we have also drifted from the best course for our life (the way), and we are consequently drifting away from truth and towards deceit and denial and ultimately death (not life). Drifting is deadly!

 

Jesus tells us to go after the drifting ones (Matthew 18:12-14). With that in mind, Are you drifting? I have the name of each of our Grace River families on a sticky located on the wall of my office. Yesterday, twenty-three of our families were missing. Drifting perhaps?

 

Today, if you are drifting--please start swimming back to the boat--we miss you. For the rest of us, let's pick up the phone or write an email and see if we can come alongside some of our missing sheep brothers and sisters. Who have you missed? Give them a call and let them know that we are not the same without them.