As For Me

"As for me..."  This small tiny phrase carries a lot of weight.  It can be expressed in other ways:  "As far as I am concerned..."  Here is another one:  "When it comes to me..."  This little phase "As for me..." is used throughout the Bible to emphasize the deepness of one's conviction of something.  It is a definitive statement of one's belief in something or someone.

Let's look at a few from the Bible.  (Joshua 24: 15), "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  There it is.  Joshua is saying, "If you don't agree to serve the One True God, then choose for yourselves today which ones you will serve.  But as for me and my house (as far as we're concerned), we are going to serve the Lord."  This statement emphasizes that Joshua's mind is made up, and no one will change it.  No matter what everyone else does...he and family will serve the Lord.  Nothing will change that because the decision is made.  Years ago Connie and I made that decision.  We knew that in order to do that and be faithful to God we would have to live counter-culturally.  But we stuck with it...and the rewards have been endless!!

(Job 5: 8), "But as for me, I would seek God, and I would place my cause before God."  These are the words of a man whose world had just fallen apart.  He was being counseled by his so-called friends (and wife) to curse God and die; to admit he was a filthy, scurvy dog and receive His just recompense.  But Job was in right-standing with his God.  Job says, "I don't care what you accuse me of.  Think what you will of me...I will still seek my God.  The only safe place for my cause is before Him."  "As for me..."  And later...(Job 19 :25),  "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth."  And God did just that for Job!

(Psalm 71: 14), "But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more."  When times are good and when times are bad David says, "As far as it concerns me...I will still praise you...even more and more."  When no one else will, "As for me...I will still praise you...even more and more."  When people think I'm over-the-top...as for me...I will praise you yet more and more."

It is this kind of attitude in a follower of Christ that changes lives.  As a matter of fact, God has been using this attitude to change the world for more than 2,000 years.  Let me encourage you right now to adopt this attitude in your walk with Christ.  All that matters is what you decide between you and God.  God makes it clear what we should do in His Word.  All we have to do is decide.  I'm not sure what you'll decide but as for me...