When The Earth Shakes Beneath You - Pastor David Tsai

God is our refuge and strength, a very present[b] help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.                                                    Psalm 46:1-3
 
In January 1994, I was startled awake early in the morning. When I woke, the loft bed where I was sleeping was literally shaking. Groggy, I tried to figure out where I was and what was happening. I jumped down from the bed, landing on my chair, my legs going through the armrest. As the chair tipped, I almost broke my leg.   Standing with the chair around my right leg, I realized that there had been an earthquake. My heart was racing.
I have lived in California for decades and have experienced my fair share of earthquakes. No matter how many times I have felt the ground move, nothing can quite prepare you for it. Tornadoes are bad, but at least we have warnings. At least we have sirens that tell us to race for cover in our basements and grab our battery-powered radios.
Sometimes the changes in our worlds feel like a tornado, big or scary, but not without warning.  Other times, the changes in our worlds are more like an earthquake. They happen suddenly and unexpectedly. The ground shifts beneath us, leaving us standing there, heart pounding, wondering what in the world just happened.
If life feels like you have been in earthquakes, you are not alone. Wars, crime, violence, storms, floods, wildfires, and natural disasters dominate the news we see around us. Add pressure from everyday life: work, school, family, and friends. The unexpected announcement of Pastor Len's resignation certainly feels like an earthquake.
Psalm 46 is a Psalm for us today. While we can never fully prepare for an earthquake, it helps us to know that earthquakes are indeed coming. The ground will shift beneath us. We will have days where it feels like everything has changed.
But it also helps us know that God is a very present help in trouble. An ever-present help. God is helpful in that in the Lord we find both refuge from the quaking earth and strength to face whatever changes are taking place. And knowing this, we have the invitation not to fear.
In the same way that I rushed to the rest of my family in the middle of the earthquake, God rushes to us when the earth moves in our world. So today, remember this: when you feel your heart racing, when you feel disoriented by all the change in our world, in your life and work, God is near. He is not only able, He is also eager to help you in the midst of it all. God is with you.
 
Reflection
Where have you felt the ground shift beneath you lately? 
Were you able to feel God’s presence?
 
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for being an ever-present help in times of trouble. We pray that we can trust You even when changes are so intense that it feels like the ground is shaking beneath our feet.
Amen.