“Any dead fish can swim downstream; but it takes a live fish to swim upstream.” (Alistair Begg)
Marvelous is the life of a true Christian, a Christ follower, a child of God. Tremendous is the force that compels and propels us upstream when the world would have us give up, contending no more for the faith, floating downstream with the rest.
But note here fellow Christian, swimming upstream is not simply a matter of exertion. We can exhaust ourselves from so much swimming, going somewhere, fulfilling our purpose, being the perfect model of grace and truth.
Instead, something must happen before we ever begin our swim: we must first make sure our little fish nose is pointing in the right direction. If we do not stop to first point our nose upstream, we may find that we are exhausted, swimming fast and furious and going somewhere, somewhere fast – downstream. Glorious is the One who beckons us swim upstream. Turn first to Him, in prayer, in loving reverence. Focus first on His eternal kingdom. Then little fish, do the impossible: swim upstream – traverse the current and the rapids which by all accounts should thrust you under and send you tumbling helplessly from one rock to the next. Traverse them with alacrity and miraculous gracefulness. Not to fulfill your purpose but to fulfill His.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18