UNSHAKEABLE

Hebrews12:26-27 . . . . “but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’  Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that  are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.” (NKJ)

 

This verse certainly came to my mind nearly a year ago when the world stood still for the grand entrance of Covid.  Life as we knew it was turned upside down, inside out. With scarcely any time to gain our balance, other waves of disaster followed with George Floyd ‘s brutal killing, Oregon wildfires which burned half of the state’s land, and an election which slashed our country with cruel stripes of division.

 

The seeming suddenness of these progressive waves of disaster was then magnified by the absolute disconnect of communication by a media culture which revels in its own particular brand of "fake" news.  

 

As a journalist educated 50 years ago, I can scarcely take in what has happened to my profession.  I have experienced much angst about the massive communication implosion during these last few years, and for the most part, along with the rest of my community, hardly knew what to say or do about what seemed like a complete unravelling of my world, my life as I knew it.

 

As a Christian, I knew exactly what to do.  I have walked with Jesus Christ for 39 years now.  I have walked through many a valley.  Accepting Jesus Christ into my life was like accepting a gym membership.  You don’t get spiritual muscles by not going to the gym of trials, of pressing close to the One Who Saved you, and by knowing God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

It takes work, as do all relationships.  I have learned when I see a trial coming over the horizon,

I know it is time to snuggle in closer and deeper with the One Who Knows What Is Going On!  My initial response was turning to my church family.  Alas, along with everyone else, it, too, turned to isolation, and soon, to a new experience in our lives – Zoom.

 

After praying for a time that my church would open its doors, and much to my dismay as it

turned to Zoom instead of church "in person", I accepted that the Lord had something else to teach me.  

Me and me alone.

 

I turned to my guide for life, my Bible.  I also turned to my home library – I had plenty of time in isolation after all!  I began to revel in those greats I studied when I first became a Christian.  A.W. Tozer, “A Crucified Life”, Arthur Pierson’s “George Muller of Bristol”, “Waiting on God” written by Andrew Murray, E.M. Bounds on “Prayer”, Arthur Wallis’ precious booklet, “God’s Chosen Fast”.

 

I began a scriptural journal in which I listened to the Lord daily, noting where He directed me in the Word of God.  What was He telling me in His Word? I began to feel God work, work, work.

 

I learned something else.

 

I was starved for Him, thirsty for His Word, grateful for the time where I could grapple with the chaos around me to move into contemplation with Him.  And Covid sequestering gave me time.  With Him, with my husband as we joined together in Bible studies, prayer, and conversation about the truth of our Christian lives.

 

As members of a predominantly black church, we pondered, conversed with black friends, and prayed, “Lord, why are we here?” “What do you want us to learn about this racism crisis?”  We learned we had our own wounds that needed to be tended to, as well as listening to our black brothers and sisters.

 

And I learned that I have been healed, delivered, and poured into by Jesus for such a time as this.  As I survey the landscape of my life, my church life, my relationships, I accept that, as a warrior, I  can see the dimensions of the enemy’s attack.  One of my greatest griefs lately has been that the church does not seem to see it as I do.

 

At the beginning of this year, I perused C.S. Lewis’ “Screwtape Letters.”  A classic published in 1942, Lewis gives us correspondence between Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to the

devil and his nephew, Wormwood, a novice demon in charge of securing the damnation of an ordinary young man.

 

Lewis says in the preface to the book, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils.  One is to disbelieve in their existence.  The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.  They themselves (the devils) are equally pleased by both errors. . . .”

 

One could wonder how a modern-day correspondence between the devil and Wormwood might flow should C.S. Lewis pen it today.  Wormwood I believe might be very pleased with his progress as he reports to the devil. “Yes sir,” he might report to the devil, “battleground has 

been cleared.  Christians have been neutralized -- masked up so no worship, and churches closed down.  Believers still cowering in fear of Covid, so no assembling together for prayer,  and laying on of hands for healing. Edicts for double masking just out, so no worship dear devil!  We have won a major victory!”

  

I see the attack against Christians, the church, and the Word of God as deadly serious.  The believers’ unity, worship, prayer, and the Word of God pack a powerful punch to the wiles of the enemy as we gather together, unafraid, unified, and standing on the Word of God, worshipping and praying. 

 

Not everyone, as you might imagine, agrees with me as we look around at vacated places of worship.  Not everyone believes that there is a war raging.  But I hear Hebrews 10:23-25 loud and clear for times such as these. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and 

good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (NKJ)

 

God is the Director here.  He is having His way whether we see the visibility of that evidence or not. I believe He is building a New Kingdom Church, working with His remnant to bring in the harvest waiting in the wings. And I believe the enemy is out to thwart our every effort.

 

As believers who have had time now during Covid to press in and push through strong forces of both good and evil, I think we must ask ourselves – 

 

Are we ready to come together?  Willing?  Do we have the courage?  Jesus will make it clear to each of us what our part in this is.  

 

If we ask Him.