God is the giver and our source of life, and because He is, then

• He has a legitimate right to lay claim to our lives. and
• He also has the authority to expect us, His children, to remain faithful and loyal.

Maybe you know someone who once professed to be a child of God, but who seems to have drifted and no longer follows Him.

• This person you see, who has drifted away from his faith, is someone you know.

Maybe you also know another person well, seeing this person every morning when you rise from your bed and look in your mirror.

• This person you see, who has drifted away from his faith, is you.

One Cannot Drift So Far Off Course to Escape the Lord’s Sight

God is the Creator of all, and as such, He calls us to come to Him, and quite possibly, many have answered that call, but we must not let down our guard, for before long, shipwreck could occur.

If one has drifted in his faith, here is hope. There is opportunity. We can return to our first love. God longs for us to return, to not be adrift, to restore the fellowship we once enjoyed with Him. There is HOPE and there is OPPORTUNITY—for GOD IS FAITHFUL, LOVING, AND MERCIFU, no matter how far we may have drifted and despite how shipwrecked one’s life seems to be.

Two weeks ago, mom and I attended her doctor’s visit, and as we settled into the examination room, we began to chat with the nurse who had stepped into the room to take mom’s vitals: heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature. Our conversation landed on past summer vacations. She spoke of her love for the beach and for the presence of the sea. The discussion brought beautiful images to our minds, until she began to tell of a past vacation when her husband and her were standing thigh-deep in the ocean.  She spoke of the way they began to feel the undercurrent pulling them out to sea.

One moment her story was light and airy, and suddenly it turned to turbulent and scary. Is that not how the ocean’s current works? The waves crash into the shoreline, depositing the shells, seaweed, and small creatures into the sand, only for the water to recede back to the deep abyss of the ocean’s depth.

As this nurse continued her story, she spoke of her fright, of her thoughts, and of her fear that they might die. “I thought all hope was gone,” she said, as she began to tell us how they both looked left and right, 180 degrees, searching for help. The question we wondered about was answered.  The beach did not have lifeguards.  Everyone she could see sunbathing on the shore did not seem to acknowledge them as they waved their hands and screamed for help.

That’s when she spoke words of faith: “I began to pray, asking the Lord to send help, and He answered my prayer.”

Mom and I sat there listening to this account, seeing this nurse stand before us, and realizing the powerful testimony of her words.

They realized the danger they faced and saw how far they had been pulled out to sea.

God answered her call for help.

As she prayed for deliverance, SUDDENLY two swimmers on windsailing boards appeared where they had only seen the open sea.

The heaven-sent swimmers pulled them back to the shoreline, back to safety.

• Is this not the way with God?
• Is this not just like the miracles we read within His Word?

Our Father comes to our rescue when we find ourselves drifting out, away from His safe arms.  We are never pulled too far for God’s saving grace to reach us.

• May we be reminded of the Lord’s power pulling us back to safety.
• May we remain humbled by the authority pulling us back to His safe arms.

As we contemplate the enormity of this present-day story of a beach vacation that could have ended tragically, may we look closely at our lives.

May we ponder these questions:

• Are we adrift in our faithful promise to walk with the Lord?
• Are we allowing ourselves to be tugged by the undercurrent of life, pulling us out to sea?
• Are we far away from God and away from the safety of His shore?
• Are we looking around, turning 180 degrees, thinking there is no help to be found?

Might we see the miracle of the arms of the Lord, stretching out toward us, sending His help, calling us to return to Him through His mercy, love, and care.