When the Earth Quakes

“When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundation firm.” Psalm 75:3

Not living in California, I don’t have any experience in an actual earthquake. But I do know that when you’re in one, you’re supposed to get into a doorway and hold on for dear life until the shaking stops. I think its because that is the strongest part of the structure at that point, not that you feel very safe there either, when everything you own is bouncing off the walls and crashing down around you. Then you clean up the mess and go back to life as usual, though I imagine at that point you have a lot less clutter and a thankfulness that you are alive.
In our lives as Christians, there are times when are lives are shaking and everything feels like it’s in turmoil, very much like an earthquake. We don’t always know why. We just know that it’s scary and confusing and you can’t always hear God clearly over the rumble and shake. But I think the scriptures give us a doorway to stand in….

Psalm 105:4 puts it like this…

“Search for the Lord and for his strength, and keep on searching.”

“When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundation firm.”

No matter what we go through, the Lord is our firm foundation in our lives. We need to keep running to Him when everything around us is bouncing off the walls. He is our strength and place of safety. I think part of the problem is when we are in times of turmoil we run around in a panic saying “Why me?” and don’t always stop to ask God what the purpose is in what we are going through. People in California know to expect earthquakes, it’s a part of their lives. They build their houses to prepare for them, they know what to do if one comes. Trials are a part of our lives as Christians, yet we don’t expect them and aren’t always prepared when they come. Yet trials clear a lot of the “clutter” out of our lives, the things that aren’t really important, and should send us running to our place of safety, our source of strength.

“His faithful love endures forever” (Ps. 106:1)

It’s earthquake-proof. Keep holding on to Him.

With love and prayers,

Cheryl