We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1 NIV
Each one of us has a nature that is prone to wander. When it comes to spiritual matters, we need to be careful not to drift away from the Lord. It can happen slowly at first, and almost go unnoticed, then one day we look at where we are and wonder how we got so far away.
Jesus phrased it this way to the church in Ephesus.
“But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Revelation 2:4 NASB1995
Jesus wants to be our dirt priority, our first love. Most people who drift away from Him don’t make a conscious decision to do so. The passion and love we feel when we first come to Christ can fade over time if we aren’t careful.
“How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” Hebrews 2:3a NASB1995
Neglect. That’s the perfect word to describe how we drift away. We simply start to neglect the spiritual disciplines that keep us close to God. We don’t spend as much time in prayer. We read God’s word but don’t really take the time to seek Him through it. That’s how it begins; these are warning signs.
We need to intentionally stay close to God and allow the Spirit to keep the fire stoked within us. When we focus on God and actively enjoy time in His presence we are satisfied and excited about spiritual things. Our lives need to be consumed with Christ.
We run into trouble when we start to focus on the things of the world. We let down our guard and we compromise a little at a time. Sin draws us near, and we entertain it like an old friend, How does God feel about our divided attention?
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16 NIV
When we drift away, our passion dies and we become lukewarm. We never completely abandon God because we believe the truth of the gospel and desire His blessings, but before long, we also desire the pleasures of sin. As we drift, we end up some where in the middle and miss out on everything God wants to do in and through us!
Where are you today? Are you as passionate about your relationship with God as you were when you first met Him or have you drifted away? If you’ve drifted, make an intentional effort to draw near to God and recommit to the spiritual disciplines that keep you close to your first love.