Rattled

Have you ever been in the back seat of a car on a winding road? If you’re like me, you came out green, rattled, undone, and gasping for breath. My husband loves, what I call, “athletic” cars. They aren’t the most expensive sports cars on the market, but they certainly aren’t the weakest. His car flaunts its horsepower and blows from 30 to 50 on the curves, rather than powering down.

As a result, I have taken to driving, or serving as front seat passenger, in my respectable, family vehicle on these trips. Closer to the helm, the center of the car, I move with the sturdiness of the car rather than jostling to my detriment. As a result, I feel fine — not rattled, green and gasping for breath.

In this time of turbulence, respected pastors have described it as a time of “shaking.” From Haggai 2:6-8, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

God is shaking the earth. And many of us, who have been found on our own agendas, going at our own speeds, trying to blow past and breaking the rules, find ourselves feeling rattled, undone and gasping for breath. And, let’s face it: One way or another, we have all been found on our agendas, fixed on idols, speeding ahead on our own.

When our respect for and our focus has wavered away from the Lord God Almighty, creator of the universe, we find ourselves in risky situations that come with consequences. It simply has not worked for us. Yet, how blessed we are that we are still here. We can change our ways. We can stop our reckless behavior now. We must. And, by refocusing our gaze to be on Him, instead of on our own advancement, we can find solid ground.

Psalm 16:4 -8 says, “Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

As we see, the jig is up. Living recklessly, speeding ahead, and blowing past all of the rules doesn’t work anymore. There are consequences for our behaviors: The earth is being shook.

But, by setting the Lord ahead of us and beside us, forsaking idols – including ourselves – we will not jostle with the shaking. When we remain beside the Lord, we will move along the sturdy hand of God; and, we will not be shaken.

Lord God, Please forgive us. We, as individuals and as a country, have been on our own agendas, going at our own speeds and blowing past your rules. I repent for the recklessness I have created through my actions. I repent for the idols, the things I have put before you, including myself. I thank you for your love… that we are still here, and that you are still here. Your Word tells us to draw near to you and you will draw near to us. So, I draw near to you. I trust you, Lord. I know that, when we are beside you, neither my family nor I will be shaken. Rather, the boundary lines fall in pleasant places for us.

Lord, I hand over my control. I hand over any survival mentality I have that makes me clutch to opportunities. Instead, I look to you, knowing you will provide everything we need. You are more than enough for me. I love you, Lord! Amen.