shake, rattle, & roll!

Though I'm a couple of days behind in talking about 'the earthquake' on Tuesday here in California, it has still been on my mind. All the rest of that day, and even yesterday as well, a common topic of conversation was "where were you when the earthquake happened?" It was definitely the excitement of the week, though it was met with varied emotions at the time: newbies to the earthquake experience were a bit shaken up (if you'll pardon the pun), while veterans were more calm and collected in their responses.

I was talking with someone in Florida yesterday, and he inundated me with questions about what it was like. I, having lived in California for 22 years now, consider myself somewhat experienced at riding out earthquakes and told him it was just a "whole lot of shakin' goin' on." No big deal, really; no buildings collapsing with this one, and no one hurt. It was, overall, a relatively easy E-ticket ride. His final comment to me was that he couldn't imagine the very ground moving under his feet; he felt that would be just too much to "get a grip on."

When you think about it, that is a pretty strange concept--something so solid and 'dependable' in our daily lives, the very ground itself, moving, shaking, throwing us off balance. We walk around every day trusting that the ground will stay solid under our feet, counting on the fact that the sun will rise and set, that the stars and planets will stay in their courses. And yet, we have absolutely no control over these daily happenings. Normally, we don't even give them a second thought; however, when they don't behave in their proper manner, it is disconcerting and frightening. It is a reminder to us of our mere humanity--that we are truly not in control and that we cannot put our trust or confidence in the things of this world. For, even the earth proves itself to be a faulty foundation for us to stand upon.

Though they can be frightening and even devastating, I find earthquakes to be a good reminder that the only truly FIRM foundation upon which we can stand is that of God Himself. He alone is immovable, unshakeable, and unchanging--the one Constant in our ever-changing and ever-shifting world. He alone set this world into motion and placed the stars in the heavens and causes the sun to rise and set. He alone is the One in Whom we can place our trust and our confidence. I think it is a good thing when this ol' earth reminds us who we are and Who He is!