Against the Flow

As I sit along the riverbank, a fish struggling in the water catches my eye. I walk to the river’s edge and see that it is in rocky, shallow waters trying to make its way upstream.   Slowly he or she, let’s say she, makes it from one spot to a higher one upstream only to find itself in shallow, rocky levels yet again. But the fish, it’s still fighting. It’s still moving it’s way upstream. Slowly, steadily struggling but still moving forward. 

I look again and she’s much higher up river than she was before. She’s not where she wants to be. She’s not where she should be but she’s better than she was before. 

Life as a believer is much like this fish. Our Savior Jesus, the ultimate fisherman, caught us.  We are His. But, it’s not time to go home yet and now we can’t exactly swim with the old school or go with the flow anymore. We are different now. Changed, new.  We are called to swim against the flow of the rivers and tides up to and through until we are finally home. 

Friend, you and I may not be where we want to be in our lives or our walk with Christ. You and I are certainly not where we belong. We are citizens of our Father’s Kingdom. But, if we too keep moving upstream, against the flow, even if it’s rocky, even if it’s shallow, we see that slowly but surely we are no longer where we once were. What we must do is keep moving toward Him, don’t give up, and one day we too will make it home!