Upside Down
In the last few months I have been reading a few Ted Dekker books, namely, The Martyr's Song Series. Dekker is a breathtaking, heart-pounding thrill writer, so hold on if you begin reading his stuff. Sometimes I just had to put the book down to catch my breath!
Definitely a great read, but what I like more than the fast pace, intriguing story lines is what he does with the Unseen. Dekker, in a very unique and powerful way, pulls back the earthly veil and reveals the Spiritual realm. I found my vision sharpen and my heart quicken as I saw the Spiritual, the Unseen, the "things above" through his writing. This is making a difference in my real life. Basically, seeing the reality of God in my daily walk.
Paul says in Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." and in 2 Corinthians 4, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." In a wonderful, refreshing way, Dekker's style elevates this through his novels.
In this way of seeing, this seemingly upside down view, he is helping turn right side up. Even with death: the gruesome, stinging of our mortality is made... beautiful. Not in a morbid way, but in realizing that through death, through the cross, and only through this... comes true life. Life beyond what we could ever imagine!
"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Galatians 6:14
In a chapter A.W. Tozer's book, The Pursuit of Man, "Victory through Defeat," these difficult yet timeless concepts are expanded:
"The experiences of men who walked with God in olden times agree to teach that the LORD cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him."
Tozer goes onto expound the mystery of victory through defeat, beginning with the man Jacob, who became Israel. That little wrestling match was after Jacob had learned he was a pretty smart guy on his own, yet God defeated him in the night.
On and on the mystery of the cross is transcribed in God's Word: dependence upon God, to be conquered by Him, coming to victory through death. It is a hard truth to teach, a teaching that is mishandled, mostly neglected. It reminds me of what happened when Christ began teaching about being the Bread of Life. Many left, turning away from the hard teaching.
"They that are in the flesh cannot please God... The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be... To be carnally minded is death." (Romans 8:8,7,6)
As God does in His typical fashion, this lesson or insight is fanning out into my own life. It's been a beautiful painful lesson. Beautiful because I sense a strong and deep thankfulness in my being for the "love-impelled invasion" of God's light and truth. Through Dekker's books, my eyes are keenly aware of the unseen eternal value of the turn in my journey, the terrain of my path, and the vision of myself, ... and my utter neediness of Him.
I am finding deep satisfaction in seeing... upside down.
Definitely a great read, but what I like more than the fast pace, intriguing story lines is what he does with the Unseen. Dekker, in a very unique and powerful way, pulls back the earthly veil and reveals the Spiritual realm. I found my vision sharpen and my heart quicken as I saw the Spiritual, the Unseen, the "things above" through his writing. This is making a difference in my real life. Basically, seeing the reality of God in my daily walk.
Paul says in Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." and in 2 Corinthians 4, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." In a wonderful, refreshing way, Dekker's style elevates this through his novels.
In this way of seeing, this seemingly upside down view, he is helping turn right side up. Even with death: the gruesome, stinging of our mortality is made... beautiful. Not in a morbid way, but in realizing that through death, through the cross, and only through this... comes true life. Life beyond what we could ever imagine!
"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Galatians 6:14
In a chapter A.W. Tozer's book, The Pursuit of Man, "Victory through Defeat," these difficult yet timeless concepts are expanded:
"The experiences of men who walked with God in olden times agree to teach that the LORD cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him."
Tozer goes onto expound the mystery of victory through defeat, beginning with the man Jacob, who became Israel. That little wrestling match was after Jacob had learned he was a pretty smart guy on his own, yet God defeated him in the night.
On and on the mystery of the cross is transcribed in God's Word: dependence upon God, to be conquered by Him, coming to victory through death. It is a hard truth to teach, a teaching that is mishandled, mostly neglected. It reminds me of what happened when Christ began teaching about being the Bread of Life. Many left, turning away from the hard teaching.
"They that are in the flesh cannot please God... The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be... To be carnally minded is death." (Romans 8:8,7,6)
As God does in His typical fashion, this lesson or insight is fanning out into my own life. It's been a beautiful painful lesson. Beautiful because I sense a strong and deep thankfulness in my being for the "love-impelled invasion" of God's light and truth. Through Dekker's books, my eyes are keenly aware of the unseen eternal value of the turn in my journey, the terrain of my path, and the vision of myself, ... and my utter neediness of Him.
I am finding deep satisfaction in seeing... upside down.
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