“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens... in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.” (Hebrews 12:26-27)
I’m not a huge fan of flying. When you are 30,000 feet in the air I do not think it is fun or exciting when the large tube hurtling through the skies begins to shake. I’m quick to desperately grasp the nearest arm rest, chair or even stranger in my effort to find stability and security in the midst of the turbulence. No matter where you are, whether in the air or on the ground, when things begin to shake it is a terrifying experience and instinctively we grasp for something to hold us secure.
Right now we are in the midst of feeling like heaven and earth are being shaken. I do not think it's an exaggeration to say that life as we’ve known it is being violently shaken, and we have no idea what condition will remain when all the shaking is over.
Do you find yourself like me, in the midst of this global pandemic, reaching out for something to grasp on to? Something that will bring stability and peace? Something that will make things go back to normal and make sense of the state we are in? Rather than grasping for something unshakable in our shakable world, I want to encourage us to look to the unshakable God through His Word and cling to Him as our source of stability.
In Hebrews 12:18-29 and its parallel passage in Haggai 2:1-9 we learn that we ought not be surprised that things are being shaken up in our world. God reminds us that everything BUT His kingdom is passing away (1 John 2:17) I want to encourage you to take the time to meditate in both of these hopeful passages of Scripture. For in these two passages we can find words from our Lord to help us know how to navigate in these days. Through His Word God shows us the right posture, the right perspective, the right purpose, and how to find true peace in our present circumstances.
So what is the right posture we ought to have according to God’s Word in the midst of our crumbling world? It is a posture of humility; that is, listening for and responding to the voice of God in the midst of trials. The writer of Hebrews says, “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking.” (Hebrews 12:25). God is speaking. He is speaking from the heavens right now. His voice is shaking the heavens and earth and it is his voice that is bringing down kingdoms. Real kingdoms (governments and nations) and the kingdoms we have built in our own lives. As God’s voice shakes these kingdoms and they begin to crumble, do we have the posture of humility to listen to His voice? Or are we instead grasping to stabilize and rebuild our own kingdoms. Are you listening for God’s voice right now, to help you identify how you have been putting your hope and trust in earthly kingdoms rather than in His unshakable kingdom? How are you responding to Him?
God also speaks to help us have the right perspective of our world and our circumstances. Our perspective needs to be centered on God, His Word and His kingdom as we navigate the increasing chaos and confusion. These three things alone are eternal. But on what should our priorities and thoughts be focused? Let's go to Haggai to answer this question. Haggai 2:6-9 says, “For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.” The treasures of all nations belong to the Lord. He is sovereign over all things-all nations, all kingdoms; yes, over all of His creation. There is nothing that happens that is outside His good and just rule and reign. And all that happens in the world throughout time is marching us to the culmination of the kingdom of God. Our perspective in the midst of this pandemic is to be on what is to come. These Scriptures tell us that the Lord is shaking heaven and earth in preparation for what is to come. And what is to come is far more glorious that what is present. “The latter glory of THIS HOUSE (God’s kingdom) shall be greater than the former.” No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind can conceive of what the Lord is preparing for those who love Him! (1 Cor. 2:9) As things shake around us, let us fix our eyes on what is to come: a glorious, eternal, unshakable kingdom where Jesus is ruling and reigning, and sin, sickness and death are no more.
So with the right posture and perspective, what is our right purpose in the midst of this pandemic? How ought we to live? The author of Hebrews reminds us that in the midst of turbulent times, we are to give thanks for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Giving thanks in the midst of anxiety is not my natural response. Grumbling is actually more in line with what I WANT to do. However, when we shift our perspective to the things that really matter, when we fix our eyes on what is to come, we will give thanks for receiving such a kingdom. The gift of the unshakable kingdom is a gift of God’s grace bought for us with the precious blood of our Savior. It is by grace that you have been saved through faith. (Eph. 2:8) It is by grace that God has brought you out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son. (Col. 1:13) Let us spend our days giving thanks to Him that this world isn’t all there is. Rather let us give thanks to God for having received His grace and His kingdom!
We are also called to offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, "for our God is a consuming fire." (Heb. 12:29) This is more than a song that we sing. This is the life that we live. Romans 12:1 tells us that holy and acceptable worship is in response to our salvation. It's in response to the mercies of God that have given us a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Acceptable worship for who God is and what He has done is offering ourselves - our bodies, our minds, our desires, our whole selves - as a living sacrifice. Daily. This is our reasonable act of worship.
What does this look like? The Lord tells His people in Haggai 2:4-5 to “Be strong... work, for I am with you... according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.” He calls us to be strong and unafraid and continue to do the work we have been called to do - proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God! And how can we do this? We can be fearless because of who God is. He is the God who is faithful to His covenant... both to His people Israel in the Old Testament as the Scriptures testify and to the New Covenant people that have been sealed by the blood of Jesus. We can continue to proclaim the gospel... proclaim Jesus... proclaim the message of repentance and salvation... proclaim the truth of God’s unshakable kingdom right now - today while all the kingdoms around us are being shaken.
Finally, this is the path to true peace. “And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.” Only within the security and shelter of the unshakable God in His unshakable kingdom is true peace to be found. We won't find it any other way.
May we navigate these days with the right posture, perspective, purpose and may we each find true peace in God’s unshakable kingdom. “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
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