When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." Hebrews 12:26
The shaking around the Pacific Rim continues with a fairly powerful 7.1 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand recently. Still, days later, the shaking continues and the cleanup work goes on. The mercy is that there was no loss of life, probably because it occurred when most people were sleeping. The cleanup bill will probably exceed $1 billion and people’s lives have been rudely interrupted and many changed forever.
Growing up in New Zealand I was not unfamiliar with a bit of shaking; I also remember being woken by a very noisy quake during our years in Lae, Papua New Guinea in the 80’s; then there was the Newcastle earthquake, here in NSW Australia in 1989. To be honest, I don’t like earthquakes and I imagine I am not alone in that! Shaking is a normal part of the earth’s aging process and a resettling and readjustment of tectonic plates far below the earth’s surface. They can’t be seen, but their effects are certainly very visible.
Most, if not all, of us experience varying levels of shaking in our lives. It comes in the form of family or work-related issues; accidents, redundancies, sickness and death. The shaking is never pleasant but it does afford us opportunity for growth. It gives us an opportunity to find God in new ways. The shaking is often part of the process of character adjustment in us. Unpleasant though it is, let us not waste the opportunity to allow it to do a good work in us.
When the shakings of life come, and they will, make them times to grow in your faith. Let the shaking settle you more firmly on your Rock, Jesus Christ. If you can, thank him for the shaking (James 1:2-3), knowing that it will bring maturity, (2 Peter 1:5-7). In the difficulties, turn to the scriptures that remind you of a better future; a time of eternal spring and unending joy and peace, a time when God will wipe away all tears (Revelation 7:16-17).
Make sure that your foundation is grounded on the truth of God’s word and character which cannot be shaken, for prior to the return of Jesus Christ there will come a time of great shaking on the earth and in the heavens where men’s hearts will fail them for fear of things coming upon the earth, Jesus himself spoke of it in Luke 21:25-28. That will be the time when the effectiveness of our training will show, in the same way as a soldier’s training prepares him for the battlefield. If we have allowed the shakings of life to mould us, our hearts will be firm trusting in the Lord and our eyes will look up in joyful expectation of seeing his return. Fear will have no place in us.
Prayer: Almighty and faithful God, thank you that my future is safe with you through any shaking of life, as I believe and trust in your and base my life upon truth of your word. Strengthen me and help me to live this life well that my foundation be strong. Amen
