Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. -Hebrews 12:28

Living in California means earthquakes are somewhat of a routine experience. We’re generally used to them in our household, but a middle of the night quake (or booming rocket launch at nearby Vandenburg) still startles me awake (“Did North Korea just bomb L.A.?”). 

Even for the most adventurous among us, life’s shake ups often take us by unpleasant surprise. When things shift on the world’s stage or in my life, I’m often distracted, if not frightened by the disruption to normal life and threat to my routine, health, or general well-being.

When the world shakes, or even crumbles around us, how can we respond with confidence, not fear? Gratitude, not grumbling? Worship, not worry? How can we continue to put one foot in front of the other when all we want to do is collapse in bed and shut the blinds?  

The writer of Hebrews helps us with this. He reminds his original audience of a time when God shook the earth with his voice, and a time to come when God promises to shake up both heaven and earth (Haggai 2:6). God’s purpose was and is to separate that which can be shaken and that which can’t. He promises to take away all that cannot withstand this test. What will remain? Only his kingdom is stable. Only those who, by grace, belong to this kingdom will not be shaken.

What does this mean for us today?

As runners of the Christian race in a shaky world, we can fix our eyes on the immovable, unshakable kingdom of God.  We can loosen our grip on the things of this world that do not last, and crumble around us. We can build our lives on the eternal reality of Christ’s kingdom. We can depend on God’s grace to get us through, and respond with gratitude and worship. We can serve him. We can live without being distracted or frightened by all that’s happening around us or in our lives.

It means when a diagnosis, a broken relationship, or catastrophic life event shakes us to our core, God’s kingdom remains immovable. It means when the world shakes and crumbles, we can look to the King who rules forever.

His kingdom is immovable, unshakable, unending. Because of who he is, and his gift of this kingdom to us, we can live with confidence and joy. We can worship in gratitude for his remarkable gift.

What might change in your life if you kept your confidence in Christ’s unshakable kingdom?

How could the unsteady things in your life actually help you to respond with gratitude for God’s dependable grace?