The other morning I wrote on my Facebook and asked about what God would do to get our attention, I projected the fears of health and wealth being done away. Most of the people responded that he would do anything it took to get our eyes off ourselves, off our sports and cinema ‘heroes’ and our complacency especially towards others. I heard this Bible verse: "Once and for all, I will not only shake the systems of the world, but also the unseen powers in the heavenly realm. Now this phrase “once and for all” clearly indicates the final removal of things that are shaking, that is, the old order, so only what is unshakeable will remain." That's from Hebrews 12. I believe God is shaking the planet. For His sake. For our sake. For your sake.
Shaking... that's an uncomfortable feeling. If we were infants, and our parents shook us, they would be found guilty of child abuse in any court of law. If we didn't sign up for this, and we were shaken by an outsider, probably someone would be arrested for assault and battery. Someone shaking me without warrant is illegal for sure.
But what if we get shaken with warrant? In other words, say for instance the slumberer, your university roommate, who has the same 8 am lecture in the same class as you, and it’s 7:30 and he’s still sleeping. Do you pour water on his face? What if you need to shake him awake (albeit kindly and gently, of course)... would that work? Is that with warrant? Shaking can be a kind gesture, can’t it?
Shaking can also be a scary experience. Take an earthquake for example. There can’t be much that is more disconcerting than feeling the ground beneath you rumbling and swaying. Every illusion of control is out the window in an instant as you scramble for cover under the nearest table or in a doorway, praying that your home doesn’t crumble down on top of you. And perhaps it’s not a bad thing to have that illusion burst every now and again. To be reminded that the world we live in is only temporal and we should not put our trust in it.
The Hebrews passage is actually a quote from the Jewish prophet Habakkuk. Here is his message in context:
“On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet saying, 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, 3Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison? 4 But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts. 5 ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’ 6 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 7 ‘I will shake all the nations, and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the LORD of hosts. 9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD of hosts.” “
(Chapter 2, verses 1-9)
The end purpose of the shaking of the planet by the Lord is peace. All he wants for ‘all the nations’ is for each of us to get along and to love one another. And yet, there are times when people would rather think of themselves rather than others. Perhaps COVID is waking us up to the need to care for one another. This is evident each night at 7 pm when a parade of people stand in one country or another and applaud the first responders. Maybe it’s the massive generosity of Tom Moore (See below) and nurses and doctors globally who stand up and keep fighting against the pandemic. Maybe it’s the four golfers who on Sunday raised over $20 million US dollars by playing 18 holes. (OK, Tiger, Phil, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning).
Maybe it’s all the celebrities who are giving their own cash or the little old ladies who are giving their widows’ mites for the cause. Whatever inspires you, it’s a spirit of generosity which may well characterise the good result of this shaking.
Then what about those who use the situation for their own purposes? The scoundrels who are making fake phone calls to unsuspecting real people and asking for donations, only to turn those credit card numbers into purchases for themselves? Where there is a trouble spot, there is a scam ready to happen. Those people need to be shaken!
What is the result of such shaking? “ so only what is unshakeable will remain.” The end result of this will be the Kingdom of God continuing to be expressed through genuine men and women, boys and girls, all people of good will who want the best for each other. And for the world. Try a little kindness. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. Come on, people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now. Imagine.
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Tom Moore, a 99-year-old British war veteran raised more than 17.9 million pounds (€20.5 million) for the health service by walking laps of his garden and was praised by Queen Elizabeth's grandson as an "absolute legend".
Moore, retired army captain who served in India, Burma and Sumatra during World War Two, became a symbol of British endurance in the face of adversity after completing 100 laps of his garden in a fundraising effort for the health service. He used a walking frame with wheels since breaking his hip, aimed to raise 1,000 pounds by completing his challenge before his 100th birthday on April 30.
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