A Hand to Hold - Drifting the Open Seas Together

A lesson from the Sea Otter! Sea otters are social creatures. They engage in play and hang out in groups called “rafts.”

When they sleep, they hold hands or lock arms to keep each other close. They often wrap kelp around themselves to keep from drifting away. They enjoy community together!

Christians also need community. King Solomon wrote, A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). And the writer of Hebrews encourages us to continue meeting together so we might build each other up.

Just like otters, we need community. We need the voices and encouragement of other Christians to help us stay afloat so we won’t drift away.

Grounding ourselves with Scripture through regular Bible reading or weekly Bible study with a small group keeps us from drifting.

By linking with other Christians, we keep each other close, encourage one another, and receive encouragement from others. We learn we’re not alone in our struggles.

Many Christians drift away because they don’t get connected at their church or find a place to serve or fit in within the church community.

God made us for relationship, both with Him and with others, so building strong relationships and communities of faith is important.

By being a part of a Bible study or small group at your church, you build community.

By serving alongside others, you build community.

By sharing your story of faith and encouraging others, you build community.

Every night, before going to bed, sea otters do two things. They find a seaweed or kelp forest to bed in, and they find their mate’s paw. As they fall asleep, they clasp their paws together. And why? To keep from drifting apart in the night.

Tides and currents will separate them from one another...but by entangling themselves in seaweed, and holding their little paws together, they can drift the open seas together.

Our youth pastor, Jon, hands out sea otter keychains to our youth when they graduate...to remind them that no matter where they go, we are their community...reaching out...holding their hands...keeping them from drifting off into open sea alone!

Children's ministry is all-consuming. Many leaders find themselves completely wrapped up in their ministry, but they are drifting into the open sea when it comes to a community of adults. I know this from experience.

If you are not involved in an adult group...reach out...find your "raft." There have been times in the past when I joined a Bible study at a completely different church...where no one knew who I was...just so I could be an adult in an adult environment. It was some of the best "drifting" time I ever had.

Let's hold hands and drift the open seas...together!