You may be wondering why the title of this post has a ring of James Bond, but I assure you it’s only because I know the phrase from the movies and not from experience. The well-known expression for Bond fans seemed appropriate to me in these last days.
This world is shaking.
I could fill the page with current events that are shaking our world today. Inflation, earthquakes, train derailments, factory explosions, and spy balloons are just a few from recent weeks. Depending on your closeness in proximity or through friends and family to any of these, you may be feeling the devastating effects in a tangible way. They may be moving you to ask: What is going on in this world? Where is God in all this? What does this mean?
Then there are other things transpiring that move us in perhaps a different way. Revivals have been breaking out on college campuses. Two cinematic productions in The Chosen TV series and the Jesus Revolution movie are drawing thousands to theaters and creating a stir on social media and in the press.
Do you have a sense that something is going on in the world?
When the days grow dark and the news is bleak, I can be tempted to think the end is near. I know that God is sovereign and working, even through disasters, to make himself known. Scripture is clear that he chooses his followers to join him in this task, and I’m so grateful when I hear about how the Church steps up to help and bring comfort when troubles hit. That’s what we’re supposed to do unless we’re frozen by fear and doubt ourselves. Thus, to the point of my title.
Is your faith being shaken but you refuse to be stirred into action?
When you see disaster hitting your neighbor or countries across the ocean, are you on your knees in prayer? Are you asking God to use even this to bring him glory? Are you reaching out with physical, financial, or spiritual help to provide access to that hope in Jesus’ name? Or, are you letting others handle it, as you refuse to see how God wants to use you?
Sometimes the way he uses us is by being calm in the midst of the storm. When everyone is crying “the sky is falling,” are you sharing your trust in the God who is Lord Over All? Ask God to show you how to lean into him when trials come, so you can lead others to do the same.
Are movements of God moving you?
Are you rejoicing when you see revivals and incredible breakthroughs in the media? Is your faith warmed and revived, because you’re aware that God is doing something new?
Before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, he paid a visit. He, along with two angels, came down, passed by Abraham’s tent, and then headed toward the two cities. He had told Abraham that the “outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave.” Our God is not a capricious god. He doesn’t just destroy mankind for no reason. He wanted to confirm the depth of depravity before sending his wrath. As Jesus said in Luke 18:8, “will the Son find faith on the earth?”
In seeing the Christian message strongly proclaimed through media and in the revival services of these last weeks, I feel as if God has been visiting among us, seeing if he will find faith in our country, in our world. Thankfully, these events have shown me he will. We are not down to the few left in Sodom, which doomed its destruction. We may have gained some time yet for more to come to faith before his return.
If God is moving, we should too.
As earthquakes and revivals shake our world, may they stir in us a desire to move out of our comfort zone for Christ. Yes, we might be shaken, but may that stir us on to stand strong in our faith, do the good he’s prepared for us to do, and continue to make disciples until the day of his return.
There’s still a whole lot of shaking to go on, so keep stirred up by his Spirit to press on in…
Grace and Peace