“But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News” (Colossians 1:23 NLT).
Paul warned the Colossian believers to continue and stand firm in the gospel they had believed lest they begin to drift away. This tendency to drift is one common to all humanity. Like an unanchored ship, we tend to drift with the current. Before long, we find ourselves on some distant shore, far from our former assurance.
Why do we tend to drift? Our fallen natures are given to forgetfulness. We have to continually remind ourselves of the Good News. For we have forgetful hearts. Thus, the repetitive one word command we find in the Scriptures: “Remember.” How do we “continue to believe and stand firm?” We must remember. As Jesus said at the Last Supper, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
However, forgetfulness isn’t the only human tendency that causes our drifting. Familiarity is another. The longer we know and live with something, the more we tend to take it for granted. As the often heard cliche goes: Familiarity breeds contempt. Hearing the message of the cross over and over, we tend to zone out, thinking we’ve heard it all before. Yet, the Word tells us to “stand firm” in the gospel, remembering and applying it afresh, so that we don’t drift from the assurance we had at first.
Where is your assurance today? Are you drifting or are you anchored firmly in the gospel, reminding yourself continually of what Christ has done?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we remember. Strengthen us by Your Spirit, to anchor our souls in You and in Your Gospel. Help us to be people who never forget and never take for granted what You have done for us through Your Son, Jesus. For it’s in His name we pray, amen.