A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

No matter where we stand in the spectrum of opinions and theories about the present crisis, no matter how strong our faith, we must agree on one thing: a shaking is occurring. Much is being shaken - the economy, the government, the healthcare system, and yes, even the church - at least in how it functions and gathers. Hopes and plans are rattled. Things we depended on for comfort are distant. Support systems are teetering. Yes, much is being shaken, but the Bible assures us that some things cannot be shaken.

The writer of Hebrews talks about God shaking the earth. "And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, 'Yet once more I will shake the earth, but also heaven. This expression, 'yet once more', denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken will remain." (Heb. 12:26-28) He is referring back to Mt. Sinai when the earth shook, but, then, by quoting Haggai 2, pointing to a future time when "I will again shake the earth."

Jesus speaks to his disciples of wars, famines and earthquakes, but when they asked him about the signs of his coming and the end of the age, he tells them in Mt. 24:8 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs." We know that, once begun, birth pangs intensify until they accomplish their purpose. Surely, we can all agree that the birth pangs are growing stronger and coming more frequently.

Shaking is a process God uses. Shaking removes what is temporary and leaves that which is permanent. Shaking is uncomfortable but is a process we can learn to appreciate. Let's allow this interlude, this "interruption" of our lives, to teach us to value the lessons shaking brings.

When God does the shaking, it accomplishes these five things:

·        It wakes you

Sometimes we have to shake our children a bit to rouse them from a deep sleep. It's not the most pleasant manner to wake up, but sometimes God needs to wake us up to get our full attention.

·        It harvests what is ripe

Think of how citrus fruits are harvested by shaking the tree. The ripe fruit falls to the ground. God's shaking harvests what is ripe in the life of a believer, both good and bad. We see the product of seeds previously planted. It reveals what has borne fruit in our lives and what has not. We have an opportunity to prepare for the next harvest.

·        It removes what is dead

When wind blows hard enough, it shakes dead leaves from the trees and sometimes dead limbs and branches. God shakes us to remove our dead works and lifeless ways.

·        It establishes closer to the foundation.

What remains is closer to the foundation. All that we labor for that is not supported by Him will be lost. We now have the opportunity to build on the proper support structure.

·        It unifies

Relationships that are knit together in Him are strengthened. Those that are not waver or fail. We realize what is important and who is important.

On what foundation is God establishing us? 1 Peter 2:5 tells us "You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 

About we who are citizens of the kingdom of heaven,  Paul says in Eph. 2:18-22 "having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." We ourselves are building blocks of the dwelling place of God!

God's construction site has not been shut down in this crisis. I suspect His work is accelerating. He is preparing the church for His return, mortaring us together by His Spirt in unity.

As for me, after the shaking, when the stones stop tumbling and I sit in the midst of the rubble, seeing how the dust has settled, I ask myself….

If God woke me up, will I lull myself back to sleep with the cares and busyness of the world or will I keep myself awake, watching and alert in prayer? Am I roused with compassion for those who are sick, dying, lonely, lost?

Is the fruit harvested juicy and sweet, or do I need to reevaluate the seeds I've sown? Have I sown love, understanding, compassion, peace? Have I sown my time and money?

As dried-up, dead works are blown away, will my habits and ways go back to what they were or will I choose only those things God directs? Will I consider each activity with wisdom like the Proverbs 31 woman who "considered a field" before she bought it?

Have the structures I've depended on proven flimsy and unstable? How does God want to restructure the strewn-about pieces of my life and heart? Will I let Him do the rebuilding?

Has my living stone rolled far from the foundation, alone and separated, or is it adhered and mortared tightly to Jesus and to the adjoining stones? Do I need to move it back into unity? Will I allow myself to be chiseled and rebuilt as a living stone, a living, functioning member of the body of Christ?  Even when the chiseling hurts? Even when it is costly?

Will I remember Him? When the voices of distraction shout out and demand to be heard, will I remember how sweet His presence is in this time?  Will I plan my days to abide in this presence at all costs?

What an opportunity the shaking has given! It is a preview of what will be shaken and what will stand! It reminds me of the wisdom that resides in the house of mourning in the book of Ecclesiastes, “for the mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure." In America, we have often dwelt in the house of pleasure. We are blessed. We must pray that, as we mourn, more will see Jesus and seek His kingdom, the one that cannot be shaken.

"Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe." Heb. 12:28 As we see more clearly all that can be shaken, let us offer to Him our gratitude and praise for a kingdom that cannot be shaken.