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DRIFTING 4'?m1f Monologue: backsliding, confession, prayer

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. I decided that it was too
beautiful to spend indoors, even though being outdoors meant
skipping church. So, I skipped church and went to the beach. I
slathered on some sun block, stretched out on my air mattress
and pushed out from shore. The sun was warm but not hot. There
was no wind and the water was calm and clear as glass. I wasn't
tired, but the perfect conditions must have caused me to doze
off. Because, when I woke up the shoreline was a mile away.

At first, I panicked, but, then I remembered that I'm a pretty
good swimmer. And besides, I wouldn't have to swim. I had an air
mattress to keep me afloat. So, I began paddling back to shore.
I knew I would be at this process for some time. And, so, to
take my mind off the pain in my arms and shoulders, I set my
mind to wondering how I could have drifted so far away when I 
had no hint that I was drifting.

My first thought was that this was God's punishment to me for
skipping church. No, I thought. I'm a believer. God doesn't
punish believers. He took our punishment for us. But God
sometimes let's us suffer the consequences of our own actions to 
teach us a lesson. But what lesson could He....

Then it struck me! What I was going through was just an
abbreviated version of my life as a Christian. My drifting was
just as imperceptible as the water current that cause me to
drift away from the shore.

I had drifted away from God exactly the same way I had drifted
away from shore: by doing NOTHING. I couldn't even remember when
it started. But, my Christian life had decreased and decreased
until... skipping church was now just another option, like a TV
channel. If I was accused of being a Christian today, there
wouldn't be any evidence to convict me. Nothing. How depressing.

(looks up)

"I'm sorry, God."

At that moment, I realized that starting down the path toward
doing NOTHING was not a passive thing. When I was saved, God
began fastening some invisible cords to me to keep me from
drifting away: Bible study, scripture memory, prayer,
fellowship, accountability, giving, sharing, and worship. But,
one by one, I made conscious but subtle choices to cut the
cords.

"I'm too busy right now. Maybe tomorrow"

(makes snipping motions with fingers) Snip.

"What I'm doing right now is more important than what I'm
committed to."

(makes snipping motions with fingers) Snip.

I can always come back to this later.

(makes snipping motions with fingers) Snip.

After a while I had cut all the cords and began drifting away.
Worst of all, I didn't even notice.

Then, it occurred to me that, if backsliding was anything like
drifting on the water, coming back to Jesus would require more
effort than being saved in the first place.

Then, I had one of those moments that I call, "AHAH"!

Drifting away from God may be like drifting away from shore on
an air mattress, but coming back to God requires only one step,
because God does all the work. The only question was, what was
that step?

Another "AHAH"!

NOTHING!

Just as God does all the work to save me, God does all the work
to keep me from drifting away. The single step I must take is to
commit to doing NOTHING. Nothing to cut the cords, nothing to
make excuses, nothing to rationalize rebellion and disobedience.

Another "AHAH"!

NOTHING!

I'm not even strong enough to do NOTHING on my own.

(looks up)

"Lord, help me to do nothing to hinder the cords that keep me
from drifting."

Well, to make a long story short, I made it back to shore. But I 
guess that's no surprise to you, since I'm here. So, while I'm
here, I just want to leave you with one thought.

Doing NOTHING is hard work and you can't do it without help from
God. Ask God to help you to do NOTHING to hinder His work in
you.

©2007 Bob Snook. Conditions for use:
Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it.
Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances.
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http://www.fea.net/bobsnook  email: bobsnook@fea.net

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