Well it happened. I knew I was bound to experience at least one earthquake while on the race, but it finally happened. My team and I were up in the mountains eating at a restaurant when it occurred. We were just talking, waiting on our food to come when all of a sudden the building started to tremor. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but it was enough for all of the workers and customers to shoot up and start to run out of the building. My heart was pounding so fast but then I realized everything was okay and we resumed back to our day. While I pondered the craziness of what had just happened and how thankful I was that it was nothing more serious, I began to wonder what God wanted to teach me from this situation.
Currently, I am reading through the book of Acts. I chose this book of the Bible because it talks a lot about Paul and his journey through Macedonia and other areas close to where I am currently. “A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (Acts 16:9-10)
What blew my mind is that later on in this chapter, it discusses Silas and Paul’s time in prison. Even though they had been thrown in to prison for proclaiming the name of Jesus, they still continued to sing praises and hymns for all of the other prisoners to hear. “The prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.” (v. 25-26) Paul was set free from the prison and later on went to preach the word of the Lord to the jailer and his family and they all were saved and baptized at that instant. Whoa! Isn’t Jesus crazy? It blew my mind that He showed me this verse right after I had experienced my first earthquake.
I feel as if this is a sign for my team. We alone are not here to change Macedonia. God has already begun a great work and we are just here to help plant another seed. Through new friendships, handing out Bibles on the main road, and living in community with the local church people, something big is happening. While it may be the first time some are hearing of this freedom in Christ and being released of their bondage to works in order to please God, He is stirring something in these people’s hearts. I believe the earthquake was a representation of this and I cant’ wait to see what’s to come of it.
Don’t be afraid of the earthquakes in your life. You may be in a season of rest, but that’s just to prepare you for when He’s ready to shake things up a bit. Embrace it and enjoy the ride.
