Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9 ESV)
How-to-Change-the-World and Faith
Right off the top of my head I can think of three times that God turned the world upside down. First, the children of Israel were slaves. They were controlled by the most powerful nation in the Middle East of that day, Egypt. The slavery of the Israelites was well established, being the norm for hundreds of years. The Israelites were untrained in rebellion, subversion, and tactics. But God turned the world upside down. God freed them. God gave them land.
Second, Christianity was new, floundering, and in hiding. Caught in a crossfire of empire-protection and organized-religion, an articulate, knowledgeable, and able organizer, Saul, was attacking Christians left and right. And they were dying. From their perspective, they were in danger of dying out. But God turned the world upside down. God converted the main enemy. God invigorated the fearful. God grew the church.
Third, many centuries later, the Church was floundering. Scripture had been replaced by false doctrines. Grace was nearly forgotten. The faithful seemed insignificant. But God turned the world upside down. God’s Spirit moved once more. God’s truth was re-embraced, re-understood, and renewed. Not only to the remnant become the majority, but in the years that followed, the Church as the bride of Christ was blushingly beautiful once again.
Today, maybe even particularly this week, you might think you have reason to despair. Perhaps enslaved to the State… Perhaps your Christian community is comparatively floundering… Perhaps the truths of God’s sovereignty, God’s grace, and God’s mercy are faded and being forgotten.
But God is very good at turning the world upside down. In addition to these three, think about the creation of the universe from nothing. Think about the revivals during the days of Samuel, Hezekiah, and Josiah. Think about the personal world-changing of barren Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and Samson's mother.
He has done it before. Believe He can do it again!
Take the faith God grants us.