Drifting - by Jim Derrington
The “five senses” associated with the human body allow us to experience and interact with the world around us. Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch work by sending signals from specialised receptor cells to the brain, which interprets them. Typically, we only learn to really appreciate this aspect of God’s wonderful creation when we begin to realise that we are steadily losing the ability to fully use these five senses at full capacity.
In more recent years, due no doubt to ageing or perhaps sustaining the odd concussion, both my smell and taste senses have diminished markedly. It doesn’t present too great a challenge other than missing the pleasure of smelling and fully appreciating the taste of Carol’s freshly cooked sausage rolls. I also miss the smell of a garden, particularly freshly mown grass. Add to the fact that as we age, most of us encounter the issue that we are prone to hear less clearly, particularly with competing voices in a crowded room. And who of us over the age of 50 years require glasses to read our bibles in the morning? That just leaves “touch” somewhat untouched or unaffected at this time in my life. The other four senses continue a steady decline, which is irreversible by nature. Most times we become aware of the increased failure of our senses as we increase in age, but it is possible that we can go on merrily in life, blissfully unaware of the inevitable decline and consequent lessening performance of our five senses. We all, at some stage “drift” from experiencing maximum performance from our 5 senses, to something increasingly less.
It's a bit like boat fishing for whiting. Anchored in a sandy hole, catching fish with great regularity, then suddenly realising everything has gone quiet. The hooks are snagged in weeds and everything has changed. You might need to wake up to the fact that the anchor has shifted and the boat has drifted off your fishing hot-spot. To remedy the situation, simply pull up the anchor and go back and find the sandy hole. We become acutely aware that we are “drifting” when we “sense” that next to nothing is happening.
Most of the seven Churches in the Book of Revelation were doing just that…. “drifting”. God interrupted their spiritual drifting, as He will ours, speaking clearly about what is needed to address the condition. Most often, we only come to acknowledge this “drifting” from God and His word, when indeed nothing much is happening in the church or in our personal lives. How many of us are aware that we worship a “happening God”?
This reality of “drifting” was, for the seven Churches and is for us, a serious but reversible condition. God’s instruction is to repent, turn back, and with an obedient heart, respond in your spirit. But our most urgent need is to attune our spiritual senses to both see and hear. God declares to each Church in the book of Revelation and each believer today – “to those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches”. (Rev 3:22) The implication is that we might have eyes and ears but they may be lacking in sensitivity due to drifting.
We may be unawares but God is not. He will always speak to our true condition. Whether we hear what he says and respond accordingly is entirely up to us. If our need is great, God will speak to us many times, the same message, with mercy, patience and a Father’s love.
To the Church of Laodicea (Rev 3:21) Gods says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in.” No more drifting when Jesus is present in the house, but we need our spiritual senses awakened like never before.