Drift



Bubby & AKD



The boys and I spent the last full week of August visiting with their grandparents, who live on opposite sides of Lake Michigan.  The beach near my parents' home was closed due to storm damage, but we were able to spend a lovely afternoon with my in-laws swimming and playing at the beach on their side of the lake.

An interesting thing about swimming in a large body of water, like one of the great lakes or an ocean, is you drift.  If you've ever swum in an ocean or other large body of water, you know what I'm talking about.  You're swimming and splashing along, having a great time, and when you look up toward the spot on the beach where you've set up your stuff, you find that you're not in line with your spot anymore: you are, in fact, several dozen yards down the beach from where you started.  You've drifted away, without even realizing it.  We witnessed this ourselves, when a large group of teenagers invaded our water-space as a result of their drifting down the beach toward us. 



Ua & MC

The way to avoid this phenomenon is, of course, to keep your eye on where you want to be, and to make adjustments to stay in line.

In my life, there have been times when I've been swimming along, having a great time (or a not so great time), only to look up and discover that I have drifted--that I am no longer in line with where I want to be.  It is so easy to drift, isn't it?  We become consumed with the daily details of our lives, and forget to keep looking up at the big picture.  Before we know it, we've drifted.  As a follower of Christ, I need to keep my eyes on Jesus, to keep in line with where I want to be.  How about you?

BL

Keep your eyes on Jesus,

who both began and finished this race we're in.

Study how he did it.

Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—

that exhilarating finish in and with God—

he could put up with anything along the way:

Cross, shame, whatever.

Hebrews 12:2 (The Message)