The world turned upside down…
It is an interesting notion to be sure. We say it a lot when
things suddenly and drastically
change. Sometimes it is with good connotations
and other times it is said with a begrudging tone. As a Christian I know that I
have said, “God is turning my world upside down” and usually have a tired, or
somewhat frustrated tone… that tone that says, “I really wish You could refine
me without having to rearrange and cause the upheaval of my life like that”.
That was usually my stance on worlds being turned upside down. It was never
really a good thing in my eyes at the time. Sure, I could look back and say, “Wow
that really was good.” But I could never enjoy it in the moment. Then I read three books by Ted Dekker… Black, Red, and White.
It was a very small part of the first book but it has greatly affected the most
recent turning upside down of my world… There is a point in which the main
character is getting used to this parallel world. His guide leads him outside
to find that the God character has turned the whole world upside down. The main
character is frightened at first. But then the guide laughs, explains to him,
“Elyon is playing!”. I remember reading that part because as Ted Dekker goes on
to describe the scene with beautiful detail, I found myself giggling like a
child at the thought of God turning that world upside down and just how much
fun it was.
Our squad recently went through a very drastic change as we
experienced a “fruit-basket turnover”. Every team changed, and along with it
some of the team leadership changed. At first, my reaction was very much
typical of me. “Not again, God. No more topsy-turvy world changes,” I thought.
But then as the moments passed, God brought that memory of reading about world
turnovers. Before the day was done, I was overwhelmed by peace. We are about a
week into that turnover, and I have seen God show up in such a beautiful way
within my new team. I see God smiling and loving that we are seeing the beauty
brought by the new perspective. Like in the book, this change is not meant to
frighten, God is merely playing… No, not a bad, cruel “I am going to screw with
your emotions,” but a “This will be so good! I promise, you’ll love this! Come
play with Me! Trust me!” And the further I go the more I realize that this
adventure that has been the World Race has been just that… me going outside the
door and out to play with my Dad. The world turnovers are much like when you
are a child and someone would pick you up and hold you upside down… it is not meant
to be frightening… usually children get the best giggles when you do that. But
yeah… I guess what I am trying to say is, this new perspective is pretty cool…
I recommend that the next time you’re world is turn upside down don’t look at
it as a horrid thing… be that child again who sees the fun and rather than
drudging through the rain, go puddle jumping! Rather than being afraid of
walking in the sky which is now seemingly the ground, go bouncing about on the
clouds! Then you will have taken what the enemy would have twisted into a rough
season will remain what the Lord intended… good. Sure if you play in the rain
you will get wet and perhaps muddy, but you will have had a grand time
splashing about in the puddles and dancing about in the rain… Just allow
yourself to muse over that… J
