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If we’re not paying attention, we inevitably drift.
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1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. – Hebrews 2:1-4
Jacob grew up in a family of God-fearers. Although he’s a born trickster (Genesis 25), he knows of God and observes his parents both follow and fail in their walk with God (Genesis 26). When Jacob runs away from home, God appears to him personally in a dream (Genesis 28) and several years later, he encounters God face-to-face as he wrestles with him throughout an entire night (Genesis 32). You’d think these up-close encounters with God would establish an intimate relationship between them and a connection that would produce incredible fruitfulness. But, as we keep reading, not much has changed.
Jacob does some work to restore his relationship with his brother, but his daughter is defiled, his sons commit murderous acts, his family worships carven images and he’s still referring to himself as “Jacob, the Deceiver.” It seems as though Jacob’s one-off encounters with God were not enough to prevent spiritual entropy. Finally, God reappears on the scene telling him to get up and make some needed changes to get back on track.
If we’re not careful, we, like Jacob, get caught up in the stream of life and easily forget what happened in our last encounter with God. If we’re not paying attention, we inevitably drift. We wind up downstream and it’s only when we look back at the shoreline when we realize we’ve gone adrift – feeling lost, dissatisfied or in a tangled mess. Today, whether you feel in-sync with God or adrift, think about what characterizes a life of vibrant faith for you. Identify one area you need to pay greater attention to – so not to drift this week.
You have abandoned the love you had at first.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
repent, and do the works you did at first.
– Revelation 2:4-5
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By Yvonne Biel
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