The Franklin expedition, in its quest to find a Northwest passage, opted for a cheaper company to can their rations. This resulted in the whole party being driven mad with lead poisoning. The Inuit told stories of half-dressed white men dragging useless articles through the snow and ice until all were lost. The Apostle Paul wept in his great Philippian letter that many lived as enemies of the cross of Christ and were destined for destruction. The reason was that they could not get rid of their earthly things.

Harmless pursuits can grow to take God's place. In the Bible, we are advised to "… throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1b). If we don't have a desire for prayer and Bible study, are lacking fresh visions of God in worship and don't have inspiration to seek the lost, it's a good probability that our strength is being drained by earthly things. Too much is at stake to let the drain continue.

Major Bill Kean is the corps officer in beautiful Triton, NL. His weekly coffee doodles complement his passion for preaching and teaching.