The Slide
“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:6-7 NKJV
Back in my childhood (and even sometimes in college), my friends and I would try to sprint up the wrong way of a giant slide to see who could go the highest up the slide before finally slipping or running out of strength and sliding back down the slide (backwards) on our stomachs… until we would finally land on our backsides in the playground dirt at the foot of the slide.
Sometimes that backward slide was fast and furious. And sometimes it was a slow fade, a slow drift downward.
And we would try again and again ending the same way most every time. Rarely making it to the top. Never actually taking it step by step up the ladder to the apex of the playground slide.
That slide now an example of the faith struggle that many of us battle.
That slide, that slow drift, is what Paul and John are talking about in today’s passages in Hebrews and 1 John.
Usually when we wake and realize we have fallen or slid away from our faith, it’s not because of one big choice to turn our backs and walk away from Jesus. It’s usually a number of small choices. A number of moments when we chose our way instead of God’s way. A number of times when we thought about praying but didn’t. Wanted to read the Word, but time slipped away.
Then the next thing we know, we’re a million miles away from the Lord. Drifted away from the One who gave us salvation, forgiveness, grace, mercy. Sliding away from the One we love... away from the One who first loved us.
My prayer for us is that we stop, take a moment and reconnect. Reconnect with Jesus, the friend who did for us what no other could or would. A friend like no other.
Stop the slide and purposely choose Jesus. His ways. His direction. His love.
Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem
So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.”
- Hebrews 2:1-4 NLT
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”
- Revelation 2:4-5 NKJV
