Don’t Drift

A few years ago when I preached on the letter to the Hebrews, I was struck by the phrase, “Don’t drift from your salvation.” I wondered why that was so important — why salvation would be the thing we wouldn’t drift away from: why not Jesus, or the gospel? While reflecting on the story of Paul’s conversion, I realized that in our initial encounter with Jesus, our unique identity and gifting in the kingdom of God is breathed into us, just as God breathed life into Adam. We are born again. As I thought through my own story, I saw that in each encounter from the very first to the most recent, God has been saying the same things to me and pushing me in the same direction. From a very early age, I have felt compelled to care for people deeply and to study and teach God’s word. What’s been really exciting about this revelation is that in discussions with people around me, I have discovered that each person who’s encountered Jesus has a unique calling in Christ which resonates back to their first interactions with Him. Sadly, what I’ve also seen in my life and the lives of others is that Satan has poured shame and guilt on our true identities and has weighed us down with rules and confusion. As a result, many of us have drifted from the personal mission and passion of our salvation. My hope for the Village is that people would invite each other over for dinner and help each other anchor back to the shore of their salvation and the calling that God has spoken to them.