During my college years in California, I experienced an earthquake while living in an apartment. I was very thankful the building stood the test!

Today I’d like to look at the book of Haggai again. (Check out last week’s devotion from Haggai if you missed it.) The people of Haggai’s time were not going to experience an earthquake per se, but God did promise to shake things up.

After God’s people rebuilt the temple, they were discouraged because it paled in comparison to the previous one. Haggai encouraged them with, “‘I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:7).

Things would not always remain as they were. God promised that one day He would shake up the powers that reign and do a little rearranging. Not only would the wealth of the nations bring splendor to God’s temple, but Jesus, “the desired of all nations,” would be in that temple numerous times.

Twice in Haggai 2, God promises to “shake the heavens and the earth.” Powers and kingdoms would be overthrown and God’s day of judgment would come. (Persia would fall to Alexander the Great.)

The writer of Hebrews uses the same description for the future coming of Christ, indicating that whatever can be shaken will be shaken “so that what cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:26-27).

The question is, when our life gets shaken, will we collapse or stand firm? Will our faith and relationship with Jesus remain? Is our life built on a foundation that won’t give way?

James encourages us with this. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).