Pastor's Corner

We must be careful we don't drift away from the Lord.

A young couple unaccustomed to canoeing on a rough and windy lake (without life jackets) had drifted far from the shore and were in danger. A shoreline resident saw them in trouble and rescued them in his power boat. They hadn't taken the necessary steps to keep from drifting.

The Bible says, "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard (God's word) so that we do not drift away" Heb. 2:1.

It's easy to drift from the Lord. All we must do is nothing. The Bible says, "....continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose" Philip. 2:12-13.

This "work out" isn't referring to our salvation. We are saved by God's grace and not our own good works (Eph. 2:8-9).

This "work out" is similar to a physical workout in which we invest ourselves fully in exercising our whole being in pursuing the goal. It means to daily commit ourselves to seeking the Lord, meeting with Him in prayer and the word. It is a "carrying on to the finish." It is an active, ongoing performance in seeking the Lord, building our lives on Him, and obediently abiding in His Word. We do this with awe-filled wonder because it is the Lord Himself who is working in our life and fulfilling His good purpose within us.