“I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts. There they are all floating in a row.” I know that isn’t precisely the wording for the song, but it is what I thought when I saw these coconuts adrift.
Sometimes, when you walk along the banks of the Fraser, you see things that make you take a second look. A few years ago, it was these six coconuts.
My family told me that it is pretty common to find coconuts washed up at this little beach.
I have no idea where they come from. It seems unlikely that the nuts came in from the Pacific with the tides. We are too far upstream. It is even more unlikely that there is a grove of coconut palms growing somewhere upriver.
Coconuts are sometimes used in Hindu weddings and worship practices. Sometimes they are used as an offering for blessings. It seems most likely to me that is where the nuts come from. I would disagree that their worship is of the true God, but it could account for the nuts on the beach.
Ultimately, wherever they come from, there was no denying their presence on the beach. It is a bit of a mystery. In the wild, coconuts frequently end up in the water. They can float around for months on end.
They just drift with the wind and tides until they eventually sink, or get washed ashore where they take root, or get picked up and eaten.
Like a floating coconut, my thoughts quickly drifted as I walked up the beach. I pondered the way that much of our world just seems to drift along aimlessly with the tides of life. They are adrift with no goal in mind.
People just go with the flow, be adrift, so to speak, with no thought for the consequences of their actions or their eternal destiny. It seems such a waste.
The Bible cautions Christians about the dangers of allowing ourselves to be adrift in our faith.. Hebrews chapter one speaks of the supremacy of Jesus.
Chapter two opens… For this reason, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every trespass and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That salvation, first spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Hebrews 2:1-4
True believers can never drift in their faith so far that they lose their salvation. We can drift far enough that we impair our witness and can feel quite distanced from our Lord.
Typically, it doesn’t happen all at once. A minor distraction here, a moment of neglect there and soon we are further away than we ever imagined.
That is one of the reasons that meeting regularly with other believers is so crucial. We can hold each other accountable. We can share our joys and our sorrows.
We can learn together and then apply what we have learned in our shared lives. It seems almost incomprehensible that the love of God and the message of our salvation could become trite or old hat.
Yet, in our fallen state, it can happen so quickly. Sometimes we let the glittery illusions of this world distract us from what is truly valuable and long-lasting.
We can be adrift long before we realize it. The good news is that if you are drifting, you can turn back to Him.
The Lord hasn’t moved away. He is there, more than willing to draw you back into the fold and put you on the right track. I pray that you keep yourself anchored to the Lord.
Kevin
Summary
Six coconuts washed ashore along the Fraser River, becoming a vivid picture of how people can drift aimlessly through life without considering their spiritual direction or eternal destiny. Drawing from Hebrews 2:1–4, the reflection emphasizes the importance of staying anchored in faith, resisting distractions, and remaining close to God through fellowship and spiritual attentiveness.
Key Points
· The drifting coconuts symbolize how easily people can be carried along by the currents of life without purpose or reflection.
· Hebrews warns believers not to neglect their salvation or slowly drift away from God through distraction and spiritual neglect.
· Fellowship, accountability, and focus on lasting spiritual truths help keep Christians grounded and faithful.
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