It's all just a bit upside down!

It began turning upside down when one day in my quiet time I felt the Lord impress upon my heart to read a particular Psalm backward ~ upside down, if you will ~ you know, by reading the last verse first until I reached the first verse last. So, of course, I did what He said and, I must say it has been a rich exercise. One in which I've gained a lot of insight, albeit upside down insight, and it has greatly enhanced my understanding of the passage as I read it again forward! Now I'm seeing upside down truths everywhere ... with a spiritual eye and toward a spiritual application.

I was even reminded that the physical eye, which the Lord God has created, receives images upside down on the retina until they are interpreted by the brain to be right side up. All in a split second! Incredible! That's the wonder of our human body ... only God could have been so creative!

And, He's quite the creative One when it comes to the inner man too. Think about about these upside down's in Paul's writing to the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi ...

Phil. 2:5-8
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 
who although He existed in the form of God, did not reqard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself ...

Wait, What? That's upside down ... The God of the Universe humbling Himself?  Laying aside His glory? Emptying Himself, taking on the form of a bondservant? The world says ... stake your claim! Look out for yourself! Be important no matter what the cost!

But we, who are in Christ, don't consider what the world says. We consider His Word to us and so consider John 1:11 ~ He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

They were looking for a mighty warrior not a humble servant. He didn't meet their definition of Deliverer. It was all upside down in their thinking and they didn't have eyes to see it. They couldn't grasp who He was. Even though He walked among them. Teaching them on the hillside, by the shore of Galilee, in the synagogue as "One with authority." They simply missed it.

But to those who had ears to hear; to those whose hearts were opened to the things of the Spirit ~ they understood His upside-down teaching. They understood when He said that the first would be last (Matt. 20:16); that life is found by losing it for the sake of Christ (Luke 17:33); that real living begins when we die to self (Gal. 5:24); that it is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35); that the greatest in the kingdom is the one who is servant of all (Matt. 20:25-28).

Can we wrap our minds around this upside down way of life? It is so contrary to what the world teaches and yet, that fact should not surprise us. We know that we are in the world but not of it! We're gonna stick out!

So, don't be afraid to live life upside down.  This upside-down way of living has a way of loosening bonds and allowing lasting contentment and joy to take root. Laugh when you feel sad! Sing when you feel like crying! Trust when you are afraid! Stand strong and brave in the face of adversity! Give with no expectation of receiving! Serve with no ulterior motive! Be willing to be last and not first! All for the sake of Christ Jesus!

The world can't help but notice and just maybe, they'll want a little of your "Upside-Down-ness!" and I know we look good to the Father when we're upside-down for His glory and fame!

Blessings!
Cindy K