Almost two months ago, we took the kids at work on a field trip to the Tech Museum in San Jose. There are many cool displays there, but the favorite always seems to be the earthquake simulator: a platform that shakes according to a preprogrammed simulation of a real earthquake, such as Taiwan in 1998, or Japan on March 11, 2011. Some of the kids hold on for dear life, scared of what the earthquake might do. Others ride the waves, enjoying the changing feelings. Still others even build little foam buildings, to see what might withstand an earthquake and what will tumble to the ground.
I’ve been thinking a lot about earthquakes, and our approaches to them. Some of us shelter in place, content to wait for the end, fearful and worried and choosing to just stay in a “safe place,” a doorframe or an open field, away from anything that might fall on us. Others sleep through the earthquakes, waiting for one to jolt them awake. Still others may be creating earthquakes… now we are moving onto the metaphysical part of this metaphor…
In Acts 16:16-40, we read about Paul and Silas being thrown into prison for freeing the slave girl of the evil spirit. In prison, they make the choice to praise God. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. They were in JAIL, for fulfilling the commission Jesus had given them (in my name, heal the sick, cast out devils, etc), and yet they chose to praise God. And God showed up. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. Paul and Silas were NOT shelter in place kind of people. They brought the heat and the thunder, the tornado and the earthquake. Because they worshipped and called on the name of the LORD, God showed up-with an earthquake. I mean, what? These mighty men of God believed and claimed promises, even in prison. They could have just waited, sheltered in place and feared their future, but instead they praise God, and God set them free. They weren’t Christians just waiting for the end. Waiting for Jesus to come back so they could “fly away to glory.” They were Christians committed to bringing heaven to earth. To making the earth shake with the sound of His great name.
Too often I think as modern day believers, we forget we serve a God of miracles. A God that heals and saves. A God that has given us the same commission as the first disciples- to go out into the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. NOWHERE in the New Testament does it imply “and just go ahead and sit on your butts and wait for me to come back. Yeah it’s hard but I love you so just shelter in place til I get back here.”
Nope.
It says GO, DO, BE. Be men and women who bring the earthquakes, not those who fear them. Don’t just wait for the end to come, but stand in what God has given us and bring His kingdom HERE.
I, for one, do not want to be a shelter-in-place Christian, waiting for Jesus’ return and to fly away. I am not waiting for the rapture, scared to fully live a life because who knows when it might end? I want to be the kind of Christian that when I pray, God shows up. He hears His daughter and says Okay. To see His Kingdom come down and change the world we have. To not settle for the status quo but to change the status.
It’s not about flying away, it’s about being here. Being present, fighting for the ones we love, fighting against injustice and abuse, setting the captives free and living wholly Holy lives.
God the Father gave Adam dominion, Adam gave it away. Jesus the Christ, the son of the Father, took it back, and gave it to us, as co-heirs and co-laborers with Him.
Do you believe it? Do you want it? Are you sheltering in place or are you bringing kingdom to earth?
Just a thought…
PS-This is just a small snippet of what God has been teaching me here at G42. I am having a fantastic time, learning so much about Papa and His heart, about leadership and discipleship, and about making my vision a reality. I still need to raise $4600 to finish the full 6 months though… and definitely need $600 by March 1. Read my blogs, (Visit www.glenalynhunt.com for more), check out the vision at glenalynhunt.com/the dream, and if you want to, donate here:: http://www.g42leadershipacademy.org/donate and put Glenalyn Hunt in the Intern Name box. Thank you so much for your interest, prayers and support. Be blessed!
