Clockwise or Counterclockwise
We’ve all heard phrases throughout our lives that have become engrained is us…..phrases like, “going with the flow”, “Don’t ruffle the feathers”, “Going against the grain”, “Swimming up stream”. What do these phrases speak to? What is the connection with these words and our lives? One set of phrases (the first two) are “clockwise”, following the regular mainstream flow of something. The other is “counterclockwise’ (the other two) going the opposite direction or opposite of the mainstream flow. These phrases can sum up our Christian walk in a nut shell. Imagine such a small, rather meaningless phrase can sum up WHO we are at the end of the day…..a true Christ follower orrrrrr NOT. There has been this word I have been hooked on for quite sometime now, mulling it over and over…..Counterclockwise. We all generally understand what that word is and means….but lets look a little deeper. The definition of Counterclockwise is – “reversely, ANTI-CLOCKWISE” ….sounds like, “going against the grain” and “swimming upstream” doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. We live in a world that is COUNTERCULTURAL. What’s right is wrong and what is wrong is right and acceptable. The word Countercultural refers to a group of people who do and believe things outside of what society considers normal or typical. Our nation was birthed on Christian values from the Bible which were our “normal and typical”. Now, there has been a drastic dive into the messy quagmire of what is “normal and ok”, what is “acceptable”, and at the same time discarded our core values we were built on. Now, we have to ask OURSELVES (us Christians) ……am I living Clockwise…”afraid to ruffle feathers, just gonna go with the flow” or am I living Counterclockwise…opposite of the world view “going against the grain”? Abram (later known as Abraham) has virtues that we as christians should embrace and reflect from our daily lives. Abram lived a life of pilgrimage in deeply sinful, idolatrous places (Genesis 11 & 12). God called him out to be different and different he was!!! He moved from place to place and each time built an altar to the Lord …...A CLEAR TESTIMONY OF HIS TRUE COMMITMENT AND DEVOTION TO THE ONE AND ONLY GOD!!!! He was counterclockwise in his culture- and may I add…..NOT TOO POPULAR!! He was a man that REFUSED to worship and bow down to the culture choices of the day and what it stood for (He refused to “go with the flow” and didn’t care if he “ruffled anyone’s feathers”). According to the word of God, like Abram and Sarai, we are to be witnesses of the reality of God in our lives!!! So…. ask yourself this today…..in a world that IMMORALITY IS THE NEW MORALITY ….am I CLOCKWISE or am I COUNTERCLOCKWISE. Do I go with todays culture being tossed around with every wind of opinion or do I stand tall in my convictions and God’s truths?? Church…..we need to BE CLEAR…..we need to stand up, stand for the truth of God’s word and HIS ways and stand firm in our convictions!!!! Church…..Let’s REALLY GENUINELY REFLECT WHO OUR GOD IS AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!
BLESSINGS!!!!
Selah
