Christians are called to swim against cultural trends.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said,
‘If any of you wants to be my follower,
you must turn from your selfish ways,
take up your cross, and follow me.'”
Mark 8:34 New Living Translation

An outdoor swimming pool and hot tubs on a cruise ship, but no people? How can this be!

It’s Alaska!

Unlike a Caribbean cruise, the primary goal of an Alaskan cruise is NOT to sit by the pool and work on frying your skin. In fact, you might never see the sun on a trip to Alaska.

Inland Passage, Alaska

However, there is always one hearty soul, and that usually a child, who doesn’t care what the temperature is. Notice the young person wrapped in a towel in the upper left corner of the picture. This child swam against the flow, not caring about the cold and rain. This child was going to swim, and he did!

Living counter-culturally is the Christians’ call, and is rooted in Jesus’ command to pick up our cross and follow him.

This soul of a child in us is the work of the Holy Spirit. Read the book of Acts and see how the early church swam against the flow and didn’t care about suffering or pain, but lived for Jesus Christ.

May the Holy Spirit create the soul of a child in us.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner