When the World Is Shaken

Sometimes, I wonder if it’s just my imagination that thinks there is an increase of natural disasters and other calamities. But, it’s not.

Wars. Rumors of wars. Earthquakes. Famines. Disasters.

Sometimes it feels like you can’t scroll through the news without seeing another crisis.

And then we read Mark 13:7–8:

“And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.”

Mark‬ ‭13‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/mrk.13.7-8.ESV

Did you catch what Jesus said?

“Do not be alarmed.”

He didn’t say, “Pay no attention.” He didn’t say, “Pretend everything is fine.”And He certainly didn’t tell us to start calculating the date of His return.

He said, don’t be alarmed.

Jesus knew the world would be shaken.

He also knew something we sometimes forget:

A shaken world doesn’t mean a shaken God.

Earthquakes aren’t evidence that God has lost control. Wars don’t mean He’s absent. Disasters don’t mean His purposes have failed.

And Jesus calls these things “the beginning of the birth pains.”

Birth pains tell us something is happening, but they don’t give us a timetable.

So maybe our response shouldn’t be, “Is this the end?”

Maybe it should be:

“How should I live while I wait?”

Faithfully. Prayerfully. Compassionately.

More willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a hurting world.

The world may be shaking, but we don’t have to. Our hope isn’t in stable circumstances. Our hope is in Christ, our Lord and Savior.

So today, don’t be alarmed.

Pay attention. Pray. Love people well. Share the Gospel. And keep your eyes on Jesus.

The world may be shaken. Jesus isn’t.

Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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