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Have you ever heard that whales often die from drowning? Research shows how older whales often drown by becoming so weak they no longer can rise to the surface to catch their breath…causing them to drown. This seems so hard to believe, doesn’t it?! I mean, whales live in the ocean!

They live in water! They are there nonstop. How could a whale die from drowning?! Are you ready for this? Even though a whale lives in the water… they are not OF the water. They live there but they still need air to breath. Without fresh air to breath they can’t make it because even though they live IN the water…they ain’t OF the water.

In John 15 and 17, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Thessalonians 4 and others we see this concept of how we are to be in this world but not of this world. We live here…but we ain’t gotta act like most folks do. We may live in a sinfilled society…but we ain’t gotta partake in those choices. Too many folks are drowning without even knowing. We’ve allowed the ways of society to lead our way of thought into one of “life is all about me and what I want.”

No. Stop. Life ain’t about us…it’s all about God.

A strong life lesson needing to be remembered and burned into our mind is how ships don’t sink because of the water on the outside of them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them. When we allow the ways of this world, the sin that’s so prevalent, the ideologies and practices of society to dominate our ways…we begin to sink…we begin to drown. And why? Because while we are IN this world we are not to be OF this world.

We are called to live in God and God alone.

But wait…does this mean we have to like every rule God has established?

Nope. Does this mean I have to agree with everything my preacher says? Absolutely not. Does this mean I have to ok all the life choices around me in order to help others and make them feel loved? Heck no. What it does mean is that whether I like or agree with items God has established doesn’t matter. Life isn’t about me. Life isn’t about what I think or how I feel. Life is all about living for God and making Him the center of all I am. And why?!

Because even though I live in this world…I am not of this world. Now I belong to Jesus. Don’t drown! Keep your head above the water and simply follow Him.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.