Yet another round of medical tests. We rarely play “Dr. Google” with the results from the hospital portal, but we do observe how Bill’s blood tests are trending. A recent wait for results felt especially exhausting. Our health journey has transported us to landscapes we never envisioned. We pray. Friends pray for us and with us. What do we pray for more than anything else? Strength for the journey, regardless of medical test results. Strength as our lives are upended by this illness.
TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
“Upended” means turned on its end or upside down. In the Gospel of John (John 5:1-14) we read of a man whose life was upended. Jesus challenges the disabled man: “Do you want to get well?” Never given a name in the Gospel account, let’s call the disabled guy “Joe”. Why in the world does Jesus ask, “Do you want to get well?” Seems like a strange query to ask someone who has spent his life unable to walk and having to beg for a living.
DID HE REALLY WANT CHANGE?
Why did Jesus ask this? Maybe historical context will help. Jewish culture considered it a blessing to give money to the poor. Culture says that if you do a good work God gives back to you. It is transactional. You give money and God fills your coffers. After many years, Joe had regular donors who thought God in return would give right back to them. Did Joe really want to get well with the resulting change?
Rephrase Jesus question as: “Do you want your entire life upended? Do you want substantial change?” Restored mobility entailed Joe’s finding regular employment, not being eligible for handouts, and contributing to society. Did he really want an upended life? Change can be painful.
Jesus added something to his conversation which has eternal value. “Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Sounds like Joe possessed terminal spiritual disabilities much worse than his physical condition. Did this message take root as Joe picked up his mat and danced home? Did he choose to change and become a Jesus follower?
DO WE WANT OUR LIVES UPENDED?
“Do you want your life upended?” In our own household, do we want our lives upended? Will Bill’s healing come in this world or the next? God asks us daily to open our hands and give all of it over to Him. I have spent a lot of miles driving the car with at least one hand raised, offering up our condition. Our response to circumstances is our offering to God. We ask that the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit daily wash over our lives. We want others to see lives transformed by Christ. Hard as it is, we keep asking God to upend our lives.
LIVES TRANSFORMED
The hard question: do you want transformation? “Transformation” means “change or renewal from a life that no longer conforms to the ways of the world to one that pleases God” (Romans 12:2) Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. (II Corinthians 5:17)
Transformation is costly. Do I continue to desire to be upended by Christ? Do you? Click to read Fannie’s story of a transformed life.
