shake it up!

As we drove from Chinandega to Masaya, I asked The Lord to show me where in His word, he wanted me to read.  I needed to be refreshed and I needed to see more of the Lord.  I heard, “Haggai. ... two.”  Really?  I was sure I heard wrong, but I went there anyway.  

Haggai 2:4-9

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’”

I was struck at how having the world shake, allowed movement from glory to glory and brought peace.  Life isn’t always easy or fun, but it has purpose.  The Lord allured Israel into the wilderness (Hosea 2:14-15) in order to restore her.  

When the Lord shakes us up, He does so for a reason. He allures us into the wilderness and our worlds get shaken. We have to give our gold and silver back over to the lord. We have to stand firm in the Lord. It's not always easy and it doesn't always feel good. But we see the greater glory of the Lord. But we are filled with peace.

Sometimes a shake up is just what we need...