Posted on: 14th November 2023

It’s a bit stormy out there at the moment, in all senses of the word! There is a lot of shaking going on. Things that once seemed certain now seem unpredictable. There are many unsettling things that are happening around the world.

The writer of Hebrews quotes the prophet Haggai in saying: ‘“Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.’ (Hebrews 12:26-27)

When there is shaking, the good news is that we can be confident in the thing that cannot be shaken: God’s kingdom. There is nothing that can stop or hinder His kingdom from being established.

Rather than living in fear or in reaction to what is going on around us, the Bible says that we can live from a place of security in closeness to God. Because He cannot be shaken, we can get behind Him and also be secure. 

David writes, ‘I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.’ (Psalm 16:8)

I also believe we need to give ourselves grace in this season. It’s not always so easy to be at peace in the middle of a storm!

With so much fear and unsteadiness around us, we might knowingly or unknowingly go around carrying a kind of anxiety, uneasiness or heaviness in our bodies. But when we trust in the Lord, we can experience tangible peace and our bodies and minds can rest.

The Bible is full of promises that the righteous will not be shaken. (Psalm 55:22, Psalm 112:6, Psalm 125:1) I don’t think we should just take these promises as self-preservation and go into hiding, but we should hold on to them firmly as our hope so that we can live freely and boldly out of this confidence in God.

So in this season, let’s get behind what God is doing and take refuge in Him. Let’s pray for God’s kingdom to come and that the knowledge of Him would cover the earth. 

Let’s also pray for one another and strengthen our family and friends in this time. We need each other!

Mary Swain, Dayspring Church