Grounded in Him

Matthew 27:51-54 “Then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and come out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. So, when the centurion and those with Him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’”

I’ve been thinking about earthquakes and mountains forming from them. I know scripture speaks of mountains and having faith enough to move mountains. Mountains are something that we can move with a little bit of faith. I have always assumed that mountains are obstacles that needed to moved. Maybe mountains represent us being firm and immovable in our beliefs and faith in Him-not necessarily an obstacle.

Earthquakes usually start underground as a fault and are preceded by a rattling, rumbling sound that most people do not hear. Suddenly, when the tension builds up deep within the earth as the plates move, the earth begins to tremble and we have “movement.” We cannot see the quaking as much as we feel it. In Matthew 27, there was a major earthquake so that even the dead awoke. They awoke to see the amazing power of God.

Life is full of earthquakes-devastation and catastrophic circumstances that shake us sometimes all the way to our core. When we begin to feel “movement” and upheaval in life, we are about to experience a drastic change. We might feel off balance at first but concentrate on Him instead of being absorbed by the circumstances. The shaking will stop and you will begin to feel strong again. You will regain your footing.

Having two kinds of cancer in my life were earthquakes that moved me to a deeper level of faith. They shook me to the core but eventually, my faith grew stronger. Through those experiences, I was blessed to have my story published with all I learned from going deeper. And, people will see the same thing in our lives if we allow the earthquakes to shape us into stronger people. Even if our core is being shaken, we can know His love for us is unfailing and His covenant of peace (Isaiah 54) will never be removed from us. “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.” Says the Lord who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10

Mountains do not rise without earthquakes. Strong believers do not rise without earthquake circumstances-rattling, rumbling, destruction-in our lives. We progress from shifting faults to destructive earthquakes to bold, strong, towering mountains. Earthquakes being formed into mountains are a sign of God’s power in our circumstances. His Holy Spirit thrusts through to the core of our lives causing that shifting and movement in our lives. After all that shifting chaos and upheaval, a new, bolder, higher, stronger, majestic mountain is formed.

Once we are through our earthquake, we can go into the “city” and people will see us. When people see us and remember the earthquakes we have been through, they will marvel. They will see the beautiful, firm, majestic outcome, they will KNOW things happened that could only be God. They will say “Truly this was the Son of God in their life!” Let your faults, earthquakes and mountain survival be the “miracle” that draws unbelievers to Him.

After the earthquake in Matthew 17:20, they realized who God was and is and is to come. After your earthquake, you will know who He is and others will know also. Even the strongest quake in His power. “Mountains quake before Him.” Nahum 1:5 So even your faults and the earthquakes you live through are not the end but a new and different beginning.