Hebrews 2:1 NIV
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
Observe: What? Pay the most careful attention to what we have heard. Why? So that we do not drift away.
Interpret: A warning that is universally applicable! We can't live a Godly life on cruise control! We MUST be continually making course corrections.
Apply: This past spring, we joined a boat club. We don't own a boat; we pay monthly dues to this club, and in return, we get to use their boats. We had to go through classroom, and on-the-water training before being allowed to take any of the boats out on our own. Now, before you say, "Heather, you're babbling again," let me explain why today's verse brought this up. Navigation of a watercraft requires constant, careful attention! Here, in no particular order, are some of the parallels between "driving a boat" and living the Christian life:
• The current is a little bit different every day-even in the exact same place.
• A moment's distraction can change your course drastically.
• There is no such thing as a straight line in boat steering; a "straight line" is made up of a million tiny side-to-side adjustments.
• Even at anchor, a boat drifts and spins in the current, and can end up far downstream if the anchor has not been properly set.
• A copilot is invaluable for telling you about obstacles and dangers that you might not be able to see from your perspective at the helm.
• Be fully stocked up with supplies and emergency gear before you even think about leaving the dock.
• Check your charts and weather reports ahead of time, so you know what kind of waters you're getting into.
• NEVER overestimate your ability to handle the boat.
• When an unexpected storm crops up, it's often safer to "hunker down" and ride it out than it would be to run for a harbor.
• Always fuel up and check your motor before leaving the dock.
• You WILL get rocked by others' wakes. The extent depends on your how you're positioned when the paths cross.
• Fear does not indicate an absence of safety; neither does comfort indicate its presence.
• Know the universal distress signals, both for your use and for recognizing them if others use them. • Always help another boater in distress...
• UNLESS doing so puts your boat in danger. At that point, radio for backup!
• Always take snacks to sustain you.
• File a "float plan." Tell someone about your trip. They'll know when and where to look if you get into trouble.
• Always give the right of way to the craft most easily put off course.
• A little light rain is nothing to fear.
• Communicate with the dock master.
Prayer: Merciful, gracious Father, I pray that You will help me always to navigate by Your Word alone. Amen.
