Psalm 62:6 – “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”
It’s been a rough few months for me. Without going into a lot of detail that would needlessly depress you, let’s just say that I’ve doubted my purpose and my direction. I’ve lost focus. The ground I am walking upon appears to be uneven, ready to trip me up any chance it can. It’s hard to keep my eyes fixed on the goal when I am no longer confident what that goal is. Shaken? More like shaken and stirred, James Bond.
If it’s confession time, I might as well continue. When my usual ride to church informed me a few days ago that he would be out of town this week, I rejoiced inwardly. I could stay in my nest and not venture out. The night before church, a text message thwarted those cocooning plans. My friend’s trip was cut short, and he’d be able to give me a ride after all. So off to church I went.
I did my best to enter into worship, but it was a hard go. I felt as if I was submerged under three feet of murky water. I could barely see the surface, but I just didn’t have the strength to push upward. I knew then, and I know now, there is little I can do in my own power to push through.
The worship team led us in an old Vineyard song, “I will not be shaken.” I like this song, the melody is catchy and upbeat, and I usually love declarative songs. But to coin an overly used phrase, I just wasn’t into it.
In the midst of my watery fog, I heard the Lord’s voice, albeit from a distance. “Whose job is it to ensure that you are not shaken, Katherine?”
That got my attention.
“Why, it’s my job, of course, Lord.” I thought it was up to me to stand straight and tall and to hold on as best as I could even as everything around me crumbled. If I did not tumble down, then I was being a good Christian. If I fell, it was because my faith was not strong enough or I lacked discipline and moral courage. If I was shaken, it was my fault.
I didn’t sense God’s displeasure, but I somehow knew I didn’t answer the question correctly. And so, I did the smart thing. I asked for clarification.
God gave me a new way of looking at that verse by reminding me of a Gimbal Stabilizer I received as an unexpected gift from a dear friend.
A Gimbal Stabilizer is a handheld motorised device that helps your videos not to be shaky when you are on the move. You mount your camera or smartphone in it, and it calibrates itself, taking into account the weight of your camera. Through a series of axles, the Gimbal magically balances everything. No matter how uneven the ground you are walking on, no matter how unsteady your gait is, no matter how shaky your hands are, it remains steady although all else is shaken.
God said to me, “I am your Gimbal. If you remain in me, I will keep you steady; your vision shall not be unfocused. You will NOT be shaken because I am your steadfastness. No matter how shaky the world looks around you right now, know that IF you remain IN me, I will help you regain your focus and I will steady your heart.”
I took a deep breath. I felt myself surface for a brief moment. My problems were still there but the sensation of being submerged lifted. God is the lifter of my head. As long as I remain in Him, no matter how shaky I may feel, I will NOT be shaken.
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All Bible verses attributed to the ESV version unless otherwise indicated.
Until Next Week
©2018 Katherine Walden
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