Earthquakes

I had just turned the light off in the office when I met Mark at the edge of the desk... he was looking for the phone charger.... at first I thought it was him trying to scare me... and then I saw his eyes and knew that it was something else.  Ben screamed and ran to my arms...and I wanted to scream... I thought something was blowing up.... we ran to KB and and just watched each other.... it really lasted that long.  Ben said he thought it was Mark making the noises (just like me) because he and KB had been laughing and playing while he was trying to sleep....

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger. Isaiah 13:13

Our first reaction was to check facebook... for the next fifteen minutes we read from our friends all over the southeast that they had felt it too.  Simply amazing that it could be felt that far... then we read and saw on the map that it happened right near Betty Carol's.  Mark called to check on her and she was regaining appropriate breathing habits... scared her too!  This morning I see it was a 4.4 magnitude and the epicenter was near Edgefield, SC.  I can honestly say that I don't have to experience that anymore... once was enough for a lifetime... but it will come again.

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. Hebrews 12:26

This morning I read my usual devotion that gets me through the day until my 7:00 PM app pops up on my phone for another verse, but I was curious... what does the Bible say about earthquakes.  I am learning the more you want to know... the less you really know.  Of course I googled about earthquakes in the Bible and found lots and lots of verses. 

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.  Matthew 28:2

So then I started playing the "what if" game...  you know the one.... I decided that I think I want to die without the fear of something crushing me to death, or burning to death, or starving to death... I just want to die with no pain.... I think the best would be to just fall asleep and not wake up.... I also realized that I don't want my children to ever experience the fear that was in their eyes last night... I want them to be pain free as well. 

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.  Acts 16:26

We all live a prison life... we are bonded by things emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  We really can't release all these things and live a human life though.  I grew up in Sunday School all my life.  I remember several lessons, but the one that sticks out the most to me was the Sunday I sat with a group of girls (who were much older than me) and the question was asked..."If this were your last week to live~ what would you do this week?"  When it was my turn, I said I would be nice to everybody, I would come to church every time the doors opened, I would read my Bible every day, and I would hope that I went to Heaven.  Our teacher was quick to tell us that we don't know when we will go... only He knows.  We should strive to live like that every week. 

There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.  Luke 21:11

We have had an ice storm, an earthquake, and some have experienced "famines and pestilences" in the way of having no power this week.... I could go on and on about the verses that deal with earthquakes.  But my eyes have been opened that I should pay attention to the signs.  I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. 

Behold, I am coming soon!  Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.  Revelation 22:7