Lessons from Yoga: Headstands

Today I had a little minor accomplishment in my yoga practice. I was able to hold a headstand without the help of the wall! It was only for about 20 or 30 seconds so it’s probably not that exciting but I felt like it was a little accomplishment.

As I was in my headstand, upside down with my feet in the air, a thought came to me… “This is what Jesus kingdom looks like.” His kingdom is upside down from every kingdom we’ve been a part of – “the first will be last, and the last will be first” how upside down is that! He calls us to live in a way that is often completely different from how we would naturally live our lives and from how most of the world lives their lives. I’ve heard this before – I have said this before – I know this that God’s kingdom is different than the kingdoms of this world and loyalty to him looks different then loyalty to the world and his kingdom is upside down from the kingdoms of the world. I know that and it’s not a new idea but somehow when I was standing on my head with my feet up in the air and nothing solid to hold them there all this clicked in a new way for me. It really is sort of crazy some of the things that Jesus calls us too and just like my headstand they are upside down and backwards from what I would naturally want to do. A headstand isn’t easy to hold, I fell out of it a few times before I was able to find the balance to keep my feet up in the air and hold them there and after holding it for a little while my arms started to shake a little and it became difficult to stay there and rest in the upside downness of my body. It is also difficult to enter the kingdom Jesus calls us to. It is difficult to make Him fully Lord of our lives and to follow him in the upside down things he calls us too. We often fall. But, hopefully then we try again, and again and again, until even if just for a few seconds we can hold ourselves in God’s heart and live our lives as He calls us to. But, there’s one difference between my headstand today and the spiritual upside down life that God calls us too – in the life that God calls us to we have a wall to rest our feet up against, we have a helper to hold us up when we don’t have strength to remain any longer. We have the Spirit of God indwelling within us – what a blessing!

Lord, teach me to follow you in your topsy turvy upside down kingdom. Through your spirit help me to remain and rest in you and in the way of life you call me to. In Jesus name. Amen.

Rejoicing in the journey - Beth Stedman

EDIT: I think it's interesting that later this same day God turned our world upside down in a very real way when both my husband and I lost our jobs. Hum, so now will I follow Him when my own personal life is upside down and doesn't make sense - will I follow him in his upside down kingdom? Here I am, Lord, lead me.