I must admit that the majority of my wrestling experience throughout my life involves viewing matches between the likes of Hulk Hogan, Macho Man and Brett "the Hit Man"Hart. The typical script for one of the matches involving these or other characters was that the hero usually found himself in the position of being beaten soundly by his opponent. He may have found himself lying flat on his back or meeting harshly with a corner post. The drama of the impending doom of the hero usually brought the crowd to their feet, shouting their support that the hero recover and fight back. In what was certainly an effective marketing play, the hero usually recovered, pulled out some kind of amazing reversal, and quickly pinned his opponent to the map. The crowd responded accordingly, and the day was saved.
I am certainly no wrestling technician, but I do remember seeing some pretty swift and amazing reversals. None of them, however, even compare with the picture of reversal that we see in our Bibles.
One of these stories of reversal takes place in the Book of Esther. Esther and her people, the Jews, were literally about to be murdered by a powerful ruler named Haman. In a swift and sudden reversal, Haman finds himself at a a party with a king one night, and being impaled on a 75 foot pole the next day. Meanwhile, Esther and her people assume a role of leadership in her country and actually are able to defeat all of their enemies and ensure their survival. While I am not, and am guessing that you are not a wrestler, and neither of us are in immediate danger of being wiped out by a powerful ruler, a major reversal may be needed in your or my life. This reversal is provided on your behalf by the the man who performed the greatest reversal ever. Jesus held all of the power in Heaven and Earth, but reversed that and came to earth as a humble man. Jesus was a man without sin, but reversed that to become a man who bore the weight of all sin. Jesus was a man who was was without blame, but bore a shameful reversal, bearing the blame for all of our sins. Jesus was the one man deserving life, but in a sacrificial reversal, chose death. After choosing death, Jesus shows us perhaps the greatest reversal by defeating the grave and coming back to life.
I can remember occasions where I and my brother, or groups of friends would attempt to perform some of the acts that these wrestlers were engaging in, and despite our efforts, could never seem to perform them with the same grace and fluidity that the professionals were exhibiting. This is where I can share with you what I know to be the greatest reversal of all. I was once that wrestler. I was being flung mercilessly against the rope, being spun in the air and slammed to the mat. My back was arching and I was squirming right and left, but I was about to be pinned. Death had mastered me, and its crowd of demons was jeering triumphantly. The only reversal that was available to me involved crying out to the one and only man who had the key to defeating Death. I cried out, and in what is the greatest reversal ever, Death was flung far from me, and a new life was offered. The best part of this reversal is that it is available to all, not just me. You may be suffering under the weight of sin and death. You may actually have reached a point of passive acceptance that God exists, but are only one or two life events from having that concept thrown into the ring with doubt and fear. You may be one of those who cheers more loudly for the villain than the hero, because one of the "good guys" has hurt you or betrayed you in the past. No matter what reason you may need it, I can guarantee you that you do need a reversal. We all need this reversal. Take the time to see just how close you are to lying flat on your back, grasping and struggling for breath. Take the time to think about Jesus, the one man who gives us the power to fight our way off of the mat and emerge standing on the ropes, arms raised in victory. Take the time to grasp ahold of the greatest reversal ever. Take the time to ask Jesus to deliver you from what is a sure and impending defeat. A reversal is available to you today. Take advantage while you can.
