"Against the Tide"

 

“Against the Tide”

 

One of the military chaplains with whom I correspond has been under investigation three times for speaking out for God’s truth in the face of political correctness. By God’s grace he’s been exonerated in each case and returned to his duties. I’m thankful for him and his colleagues who are willing to “swim against the tide” and stand for what’s right when the wrong is popular.

My friend’s experience reminds me of God’s description of His servants of old who when confronted with godly and ungodly options chose His ways. Some of these are introduced with the phrase “as for me”. Identifying this saying is difficult (“yes” and “but” are often used) but here are some examples I found (emphasis added in each case):

*Joshua 24:15: “…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua chose to serve God, not the false gods of the nations around Israel.

*Psalm 26:9-11 (NKJV): “Do not gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men, In whose hands is a sinister scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity….” Here David pledged to do what was right in the midst of sinful people.

*Psalm 35:11-13 (NKJV): “Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.” Here David responded to evil with good.

*Micah 7:7: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” The prophet’s confidence was in God when the nation was far from Him.

*Psalm 18:28-30 (NLT): “Lord, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness. In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. As for God, his way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” David sees his own abilities as  weaknesses in comparison to God’s power and strength.

You and I are faced with “as for me” decisions which call for us to buck the societal trends around us by going “against the tide” of wickedness in today’s world. A line in a hymn written in 1930 asks God to “…Grant us wisdom, grant us courage for the living of these days….” May this be my and (hopefully) each one’s prayer.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan