At first glance, this picture may not look like much, just an upside-down ATL bridge. No big deal, right? Well, quite the contrary, this picture embodies my entire vision for this blog: a type of backwards living. In today’s world, selfish ambitions and corrupt desires guide our hearts and minds. It is all too easy to fall into this “all about me” mindset. Though to fully experience a bold way of living, we must reverse, flip, and transform our mindset. We have to push through the film that the world covers our eyes with and push past the cramped tunnel walls to look out into the light. Just so you know, I am NOT preaching down to you, but rather, I am speaking to you as a friend who knows this mindset all too well. Now, imagine you are standing at the front of this very bridge. Your world would seem pretty closed in with the walls of the bridge pretty close to you. You can see and acknowledge the openness and light of the end of the bridge, but it just seems too far and too big of a struggle to get there. It is easy to get pretty comfortable in your concealed space and enveloped in your selfish desires. Then, problems arise, like they do for all of us, and you are still stuck, blinded by your ignorance. Now remember, that same light is still pounding in at every moment, waiting for you. This light is Jesus. He is always there, always has been, and always will be. His continual invitation to leave our worldly mindsets behind and pick up His robe of righteousness, opportunity, and love is just as accessible as it was for the Israelites thousands of years ago. This is why I feel compelled to share my thoughts on this blog. This is why I am so encouraged to talk about backwards living. This is why I think a backwards life (efil) is so important to consider. The bridge is tempting to explore and settle in to, but the light is lasting. As stable as we think tons of steel and cement can be, all of the world’s strength and longevity doesn’t last one minute in Heaven. I say it’s far past time to consider and start our journeys to the Light. It may take us a while to climb out of each of our own bridges, but the reward patiently awaits us. Jesus patiently waits for us. Heaven patiently waits for us. God patiently yearns for us. Life races by too quickly to waste time in our own little, secluded worlds. Once we find truly bold lives in Christ, our time on Earth takes on an entirely, new purpose: to spread the good, good news of the Gospel. Backwards living, living for God opposed to living for ourselves is challenging, but it is also contagious. That light you’ve experienced at the end of the tunnel naturally spreads far beyond our reach. The Lord molds our hearts to resemble His heart, just as He planned when He created us in His image starting all the way back with Adam. The call to “a backwards efil” is knocking on all of our hearts. It’s your choice alone to listen and act upon your decision. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (English Standard Version, Romans 12:2).
With love,
C