When Your World Is Shaking, Remember This

GEMS Guest Post by Bruce Martin

All of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe (Hebrews 12:27-28, NLT).

“Do you know where Zach is?”

The call came from his boss at 7:12 AM on March 25, 2020, as my wife and I were enjoying our morning coffee.

“He left this morning at 6:00 AM,” I replied, pushing down the feeling of dread creeping up in my chest.

“Well, he hasn’t made it in to work yet, and we’re worried about him,” he continued.

“I’ll make some calls,” I responded, my wife’s face showing deep concern now.

I called Zach’s phone, and a woman’s voice answered, “Is this Zach’s dad?”

“Yes.”

“I’m a nurse. Your son was involved in a car accident this morning. He’s in stable condition. The doctor will call you when we know more. You cannot come to visit him.”

And that was it. The waiting game began. We finally got a call from the doctor who gave us the rundown: head laceration requiring 22 staples, ten fractures including five ribs, vertebrae, shoulder, elbow, scapula, pelvis, a bruised lung, and lots of abrasions.

Apparently, a car turned in front of Zach and hit him head-on. Witnesses say he was ejected through the driver’s side window on impact. He (and the car) skidded another 100 feet along the pavement before hitting a curb and flipping.

He shouldn’t be alive. God spared his life.

Earlier that week, before any of this happened, God had impressed me with my next blog post.

Unshakable.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, it means, “a belief, feeling, or opinion strongly felt and unable to be changed; unable to be disputed or questioned.”

I had no idea how important that word was going to be for me later that week. With Zach’s accident, the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensuing economic crisis, and people mandated to “shelter at home,” I was reminded once again…

This is not our home.

My shelter doesn’t come from being in my house. My shelter comes from God, who is unshakable and who has established a Kingdom that is unshakable. Psalm 91 is especially meaningful for us in this season.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection (Psalm 91:1-4, NLT).

Isn’t that beautiful? God is our shelter. God is our refuge. God is our rescuer. The truth is, I’m shakable. I’m part of creation. Zach’s near-death accident has shaken me up pretty good. But I trust in the Lord. And it’s not because I’m super-spiritual or anything. I’m simply childlike. Children trust their Father. In fact, Jesus said a person couldn’t even enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless they become like a child.

Childlike trust.

And so while all of creation is being shaken right now, we’re relying on that which is unshakable. God and His Kingdom. And we’re His Kingdom kids!

When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He began by preaching “the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven.” Here’s why that’s important in these days of suffering and uncertainty. Jesus wasn’t just trying to get people saved, in the sense of only securing their eternal destiny. Jesus wanted them to trust Him now, not just for after they die. So many of us trust Jesus for our eternal destiny, but we struggle to trust Him in the here and now. But Jesus was saying that we are part of the eternal Kingdom of Heaven right now, a Kingdom that has no end, a kingdom that is unshakable.

No matter what the circumstances, no matter what the trial, no matter what the crisis, we are safe, “in the shelter of the Most High.”

RELATED RESOURCES

GEMS ReFresh is an online library of resources for moms and mentors who are leading today’s girls. Through GEMS ReFresh, you’ll have access to exclusive video messages to answer tough questions about the unique challenges girls face, including Bruce’s messages “Navigating Hard Topics with Girls,” “Helping Girls with Gender Identity Issues,” and “Okay to Not be Okay: Recognizing and Supporting Girls with Anxiety.” Learn more at gemsrefresh.org.

Are you desperate for hope? Bruce Martin’s book, Desperate for Hope: Hanging On and Finding God During Life’s Hardest Times, is a hopeful and encouraging message for readers experiencing suffering. Whether you’re in the midst of suffering or its painful aftermath, you will be reminded of God’s deep love, no matter what you’re going through.

MEET BRUCE

Bruce has been a pastor and counselor for 25 years and writes and speaks extensively on hope, mission, the Gospel in culture, and marriage matters. He’s the author of Desperate For Hope: Hanging On and Finding God During Life’s Hardest Times. You can reach him at www.brucewmartin.com or email bruce@brucewmartin.com.