Jesus Turned ME Upside Down

God has gifted each and every one of us uniquely. Exercising our gifts come very easily because we are gifted. It just flows naturally and comfortably. Lately the Lord has been encouraging me to get out of my comfort zone. It is easy for us to avoid doing things outside our gifting and comfort. We rationalize that we can’t do that, so we need to get someone who is gifted in that area to do it for us. However, how can I know I’m not gifted in another area if I never try it?

For example, I was mowing the grass the other day with my 27-year-old John Deere mower. Suddenly something popped, and the steering wheel just started spinning around but the front tires never turned. How could it breakdown when it is just getting broken in (LOL!)? My first thought was that we were going to have to buy a new mower. I was hoping me and my John Deere could just ride off into the sunset together. Anyway, I trotted down to the John Deere store and secured the parts to fix her. I searched YouTube for a tutorial on “how-to-fix-a-27-year-old-John Deere-when-you-don’t-know-what-you-are-doing.” And believe it or not, I found just what I was looking for.

Four hours later, I crawled out from under “old faithful”. Then came the acid test. I cranked her up and “steered” her around the yard. She worked like a charm. Talk about exhilarating! I just completed a job of which I had previously considered myself inept. So it took me four hours to do what the “gifted” John Deere mechanic could have done in half an hour, but not any better than I did. Besides, he would have charged me $75 an hour.
I looked at it as saving me $300 bucks at my rate of speed… give or take a half bottle of alcohol I had to put on my skinned knuckles.

Okay, here is my point. Jesus and I are united… fused as ONE. I am in Him. He is in me. I don’t live anymore. He lives in me, through me, with me, for me, and as me. We do everything TOGETHER. Jesus enjoys doing things with me, no matter what we are doing. Writing this Graceline. Cooking an omelet. Or busting our knuckles underneath an old John Deere. He made all creation just for us to enjoy with Him together. When I forgot how I took a part off, I asked Him to show me how to put it back on. You know, we have the mind of Christ since everything He is, we are. He knows what I’m feeling, what I’m thinking, all the time. We enjoy, or endure, everything together… even things I could not do without Him. But then again, I can’t do anything without Him, and neither would I want to.

I never go anywhere, or do anything, alone. He is always with me. Now, sometimes I forget, but I’m asking Him to keep me constantly aware of His presence. And He does that. Try it yourself.

Jesus has turned ME upside down. It is no longer just ME. It’s WE.

You think about that….​

Blessings, Kenny.