The Rev. Dr. P. Douglas Small One may go for seasons when from a human perspective, nothing seems to happen. Then, suddenly things begin to unfold rapidly. In dizzying, head-spinning time, things change. In the 1964 Anchorage earthquake, in seconds, one section of 4th Avenue split open. Suddenly, the north side of the street dropped 11 feet. In another part of the city, a 30-block section of land liquefied and slid into the ocean. The entire Kenai Peninsula fell, bringing certain areas permanently under seawater. In five minutes, the 9.2 earthquake on that Good Friday had changed forever the landscape of Anchorage and much of Alaska.
There are times when spiritual seismic shifts occur and things change suddenly. Sadly, we give up too quickly. We walk away and miss the moment. We miss the opportunity to steward the change and we miss the blessing! Virgins that slumber will miss their suddenly! Sleepy Christians who let the oil run out in their lamps will miss their moment. You have to contend for the blessing!
The Bible is sprinkled with suddenlies, "Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest..." (Luke 2:13). In Acts 2, we find, "Suddenly, there came a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind..." In Acts 9, "Suddenly, there was light from heaven and Paul fell to the ground..." And in Acts 16, "Suddenly, there was an earthquake and the prison doors flew open and the stocks and bonds fell off..." The ultimate suddenly is found in 1 Corinthians 15:52, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye...the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
Malachi 3:1 had warned, "Behold...My messenger...will suddenly come to His temple..." but Israel had failed to watch. The prophet Zephaniah declares (1:14), "The great day of the LORD...It is near and hastens quickly." In Revelation 22:20, we find, "He who testifies...says, 'Surely I am coming quickly'. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" Often, when God begins to move, what He does He does quickly.
Where do you need a suddenly today?
There are times when spiritual seismic shifts occur and things change suddenly. Sadly, we give up too quickly. We walk away and miss the moment. We miss the opportunity to steward the change and we miss the blessing! Virgins that slumber will miss their suddenly! Sleepy Christians who let the oil run out in their lamps will miss their moment. You have to contend for the blessing!
The Bible is sprinkled with suddenlies, "Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest..." (Luke 2:13). In Acts 2, we find, "Suddenly, there came a sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind..." In Acts 9, "Suddenly, there was light from heaven and Paul fell to the ground..." And in Acts 16, "Suddenly, there was an earthquake and the prison doors flew open and the stocks and bonds fell off..." The ultimate suddenly is found in 1 Corinthians 15:52, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye...the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
Malachi 3:1 had warned, "Behold...My messenger...will suddenly come to His temple..." but Israel had failed to watch. The prophet Zephaniah declares (1:14), "The great day of the LORD...It is near and hastens quickly." In Revelation 22:20, we find, "He who testifies...says, 'Surely I am coming quickly'. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" Often, when God begins to move, what He does He does quickly.
Where do you need a suddenly today?