Unshakable

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire”f (Hebrews 12:27-28).

In December 1972 a friend of mine who worked as an international representative was in Nicaragua on a business assignment when a major earthquake hit the capital of Managua. He fled his hotel room to seek safety in the street. 6000 died. A few months later another major quake rocked a city in Italy. My friend was probably the only person in the world in both quakes. Again he found himself escaping from his hotel into the street as buildings collapsed. He was shaken in more ways that one.

A week ago Los Angeles was left shaking when an earthquake before dawn was felt over a fairly large area. Many of us saw the recording of the reaction on KTLA-TV morning show as the two news anchors ducked under the desk.  In a few grocery stores some cans fell off shelves, but this was not the big one. Still, we can’t blame the anchors. There is something unnerving when everything is shaking and we just aren’t sure where to go.

Economies, nations, businesses, retirement plans, careers, dreams, relationships, marriages, families, our bodies, churches, institutions and movements--we count on them, but they can all be shaken. The reason the kingdom of God is like the pearl you sell everything in order to buy, is it is the only good thing that cannot be shaken.