(Un)Shakeable

Now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. - Hebrews 12.26-29

We live in turbulent times, days of radical change and transition which seem defined by a constant state of upheaval politically, economically, technologically, and culturally. 

And though moments like this often leave us feeling unsettled and insecure and longing for stability, there is a much greater change that is one day coming. Scripture says it will be a time when God will remove and remake all that has been made, both the heavens and the earth, the entire created realm.

As intimidating as that sounds, what’s important is not what will be removed but what will remain.

The writer of Hebrews calls it “a kingdom that cannot  be shaken”. It describes the eternal rule and reign of a sovereign God in the new Heaven and new Earth prepared for God’s redeemed people, the Church, from every nation, language, tribe and tongue. (Revelation 5.9-10)

So if that is the eternal Kingdom and the one we see now that’s in a constant state of disarray and self-destruction is a temporary kingdom, then which one should we invest in? Which one should we allow ourselves to be consumed with? Which one should we chase after more?

The answer is obvious: the one that “cannot be shaken”.

So today, ask yourself … are you more entertained, more enveloped, or more attracted by a temporary life and experience that will one day disappear or the eternal reality of God’s unshakeable Kingdom?

How do you know? How can you and I evaluate our priorities? Take a look at your calendar, your budget/finances, and your relationships. Consider the sacrifices you make and who/what you’re willing to sacrifice for. These things will tell you and I which kingdom we are consumed with and which reality - the temporary or the eternal - that we are living for.

Our prayer is that God will compel our hearts with the greater Kingdom TODAY and that we will choose to passionately and consistently “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire”.