Shaken and Stirred (Elijah Yip - March 25, 2020)

Photo by Marco Albuquerque on Unsplash

Observation, Perspiration or Inspiration:

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.  – Hebrews 12: 28-29

Screaming kids.  They’re part of my new “office environment” as I work at home while sheltering in place.  It’s just one of the adjustments I’ve had to make in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.  I realize pretty much no one prefers working while kids scream in the background, but for me, it’s a little more complicated. 

You see, chaos cramps my style.  A lot.  The dissonance of disorder can frustrate me to the point of wanting to shut down and stop work.  My ideal work environment is a quiet room, a neat desk, and a dual monitor setup.  I have none of that right now (at least not reliably).

I hate to admit it, but this is good for me.  Times requiring radical change shake things that are shakable, leaving behind unshakable things.  What might those be?  Why, Kingdom stuff of course – things built by God, mindsets in alignment with the Father’s heart.  If we build on foundations laid by God, our work will be unshakable just as He is.  Cf. Matt. 6:19-20; Matt. 7:24-27.  Transitional periods like now are valuable because they clarify the stuff in our lives that have eternal significance.

For me, that means adjusting my mindset to match God’s.  Chaos never slows God down.  He speaks order into the void and meets us in our messiness.  God’s not afraid of screaming kids.  He’s got billions of ‘em, and that doesn’t deter him from acting.  I should be able to handle at least three.

Prayer:
"Thank you, Lord, for challenging me to reevaluate my mindsets, priorities, and expectations. I want to embrace your Kingdom because it lasts for eternity.  Help me to build on your foundation, not mine.  In Jesus' name, amen."


An Idea:

The next time you get irked by some adjustment you've had to make because of the pandemic, ask God: "Why does this bother me so much?  What's your perspective on my situation?"  Then have a conversation with God about it.