The View from the Inversion Table: When Christ Upends Our Lives

When I developed sciatica, my friend, Jan, had the perfect solution. "Come hang on our inversion table. It will make you feel so much better. You'll love it."

I was far too busy to stop and hang upside down. 

I knew how to treat sciatica. I took a Medrol dose pack, anti-inflammatories, and stopped lifting. I went to bed for two days. I had this under control. I'd be good as new soon. 

I wasn't.

Jan repeatedly offered a "hanging". "It will help you."

Finally, a day came when Jan caught me as I dragged my leg and tried to hide my tears. "Come on. You're going to my house. You need to hang upside down. It will help you so much."

I went.

She was right. I'm still surprised that the inversion table helped my back, hip, and leg pain to such a degree. Incredible.

As I dangled upside down, I pondered how odd it was to find relief by turning myself upside down. Then, I remembered how Jesus invaded my life and turned everything upside down.

Before my "upside down" encounter with Christ, I was a determined, me-focused woman. My priorities weren't right. My heart wasn't right. 

It was a little like spiritual sciatica. The hurt was unrelenting and there was nothing that would help.

When someone said, "What you need is Jesus," I resisted. 

I thought I already had Jesus. "No. You don't need to know about Jesus. You know plenty. What you need is to encounter Jesus and let Him turn your heart around." I was plenty tired of my spiritual sciatica, so I gave in. 

Jesus turned my heart around and changed my life completely. In a good way, he turned me upside down. He shuffled my priorities. Changed how I spent money. Changed what I thought, and said, and did. 

It was much needed, but I didn't know it until I allowed Him to do what must be done. Forgive me. Cleanse me. Heal me. Change me.

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; 

and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes,

 and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 

Ezekiel 36:26-27 nasb

The heart of flesh changed everything. There was a hymn we sang when I was a child that said, "What a wonderful change in my heart has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart."* That's exactly how it was.

Only Jesus can make that kind of change, but He will do it for all who come to Him.

Are you tired of spiritual sciatica? Maybe what you need is not knowing more about Jesus. Maybe you need a fresh encounter with the Holy One. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

Psalm 51:10 nasb

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*Lyrics by R. McDaniel and Music by C. Gabriel, 1914

In case you missed one of the past week's posts, here are the links: Changing the World: What One Man (Or Woman) Can do, When Hard Times Come: Pressing On, Friday Night with Friends: Sara Foust, Hand Washing and Heart Cleansing, The Wonder Dogs Run In Circles, Cutting Edge Prayer: The Power of Fasting, and Changing the World: The Example of Kid President
#Viewfromtheinversiontable #whenChristupendsourlives #leannahollis #linesfromleanna