Standing Against the Flow

The world is a raging river. I’ve recently come to realize this, while I was channel surfing, lamenting on the lack of good programing out there. I’m not talking about the quality of the acting. I’m talking about the message the programs give; the undercurrent of ungodliness, and the anti-Christian bias that is prevalent.

Have you noticed this? It’s not simply on TV.  It’s in the way people are thinking. The sad thing is, the court of public opinion has changed. What was once considered wrong (even evil) is now considered right.

What’s even worse, many “Christians” go along with this way of thinking.

It baffles me. When did we turn our backs on God?

That’s when the river hit me. Have you ever seen a raging river? I used to try and swim in one, up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It sweeps everything along in its path. Trees, houses, bushes. Even people. It is relentless in its pursuit to flow. It grabs, presses, pushes, uproots everything in its way, pulling it all along, until finally all opposition is gone. Everything is going the same direction.

To me, that’s what the world is. Its music, news, television, movies. The river of the world, pushing along with its beliefs, uprooting whatever gets in its way, until finally it has changed the course of public opinion.

As long as you flow with the river of the world, there’s no struggle. No opposition.

There’s one problem, though. Most things that continue to flow in a raging river, eventually go under.

Enter Jesus. He is a Rock, jutting out of the river. 

The current constantly batters and crashes against Him, saying, “You must change! You must conform to our way of thinking!”, but it has no effect on Him. With His feet, firmly planted, He stands against the flow of the world; not yielding to its pull.

I truly believe the river of the world hates Him for this. He is flowing contrary to them. And frankly, being God, the creator of all, He is right and the world is wrong.

How about us? Where do we come in?

Are you lost? Do you feel the river pulling against you? Do you wonder what’s right and wrong, but don’t know what to believe? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the flow of the world, perhaps even ready to go under?

Jesus has good news. He tells us to build our life on Him. Luke 6:48 “He (the Christian)  is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.”

So that’s where I stand. The river of the world is flowing in the wrong direction. Its pull is strong. I have to be firmly planted on the Rock in order to survive. Remember! We are not the Rock. Jesus is. But I truly believe, the more people firmly planted in Him, the more opposition to the flow of the world! Plant your feet in the Lord!

Psalm 62:6- He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.