Drift – Are We Standing Still or Drifting?
Last week, I enjoyed my family vacation on the beach in RI. The weather was perfect, and my three boys spent the entire week jumping waves and body surfing. I’m not one for the cold ocean temperatures up here in the North, so I stood on the shore, feet apart and hands on hips, and acted as mom-guard (half mom, half lifeguard). I didn’t have a whistle but my voice carries, and I found myself constantly waving an arm and yelling, “Back over here. You’re drifting.”
As they frolicked in the waves, they were oblivious to the current pulling them further down the beach. Every once in a while, my middle son knew enough to look back and try to find me. I’d watch his face scan the shore. I’d release an exasperated sigh at his look of shock when he’d discover me twenty yards away (but, hey, at least he looked). He’d yell to his brothers, and the three of them would trudge against the tide to return back to their safe zone (directly in front of me).Many of us, myself included, don’t realize when we too are drifting. We’re going about our regular lives and busy routines until something snaps us out of it. Then, we look around in a panic to discover just how far we’ve wandered, and shout, “God, where are you!”It was the same for the apostle Peter, only when he took his eyes off Jesus did he start to drown. In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus is out for an early dawn stroll on the lake, and the disciples see him walking on water. Peter asks Jesus if he can walk to him, and when Jesus says, “Come,” he steps out of the boat. Pete’s doing great until the Bible says, “A wind blew.” The wind distracted Peter, and he took his eyes off Jesus. I imagine at first Peter didn’t notice, but then the cool water touches his feet, and his sandals feel squishy. His robes become heavy and saturated as the water moves to his knees. Peter panics as he realizes he’s sinking. He frantically looks back at Jesus, “Lord, save me!”It’s when we take our eyes off Jesus that we also begin to drown. It may start out as a little drift. At first, we may not notice our flip flops getting a little damp. We may glance back over our shoulders here and there to reorient ourselves and make adjustments to compensate for our drift. However, the energy it takes to fight back to a safe place can be exhausting and time-consuming. Wouldn’t life be more thrilling if we kept our eyes on Jesus? Then, we can walk on top of the water where the waves and currents can’t pull us under.Writing Update: I’m going to be releasing my most recent book trailer The Duke’s Refuge on YouTube soon. If you want the first sneak peek, make sure you sign up for my newsletter by clicking below:https://lorridudley.com/mc4wp-form-preview/