Tendency To Drift

I noticed a recurring theme this morning as I was reading in Deuteronomy. Moses repeated exhorts the people of Israel to “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life” (Deut. 4:9; also 4:15; 6:12; 8:11).

Clearly, Moses was keenly aware of the human predilection to drift. As humans, we have a tendency to stray off in the wrong direction. As a result, Scripture continually encourages us to renew our minds, receive new hearts, and carefully watch ourselves.

If you’ve ever been to the beach, you know how easy it is to drift down the coast. Without even realizing it, you can find yourself swimming on a totally different beach from where you started. That is also our tendency spiritually. We may not feel like we’re going backward, but if we are not careful, we can easily end up in a a damaging place.

Spiritual growth must be intentional. If we are haphazard or accidental, we will surely drift in the wrong direction. Moses’ simple but direct words carry good advice for us: “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently.”