Revelation 18
Revelation 18:8
What no earthly army can do, God accomplishes in just one day! From the angel of death passing over her, to this rich city running out of food, and finally the city being burned to the ground, this once proud city which boasted that they will never mourn, will grieve bitterly from its losses.
Will the things I stand for and value, hold up against God’s judgement?
Babylon believed itself to be almighty. They believed that they had the resources, the power, and the support from the other nations that made them invincible. They stood against God’s ways and His people. Babylon built great wealth and strength in armies and alliances. It gave them a false sense of security. Babylon was a city built on its sinfulness. And although God’s will allowed it, God was about to bring His swift and righteous judgment upon her. God would make an example of the city of Babylon. The message will be heard and seen around the world...just how great and awesome is God.
What is my life built on? What’s my underlying foundation? Is it built on material things, that like Babylon, give me a false sense of security? Or is my life built on the principles of God and His ways. If God put my life’s work and held it up against the fire, would it wither away, or would it be refined by it?
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”
Matthew 6:19-20 NLT
Focus on building His kingdom, not mine. The “kingdom” that we try to build on earth can be taken at any moment. Our hope and legacy should be built on a foundation that lasts forever!
The past 3 weeks, our family has dealt with illnesses and being displaced from our home due to the Tick Fire. When we were displaced, we had no idea what was happening with our home. We didn’t know if we were going to have a home to return to or if we were going to be living out of bags for a long time. During packing for our evacuation, we couldn’t pack everything in our home, only what was most important and what we needed for survival. Also, I honestly didn’t care about all the “stuff” in the midst of packing. All I cared about was that my family was safe and together. There was a moment of concern when my husband wasn’t home from work yet, but I still had to pack, stay calm for our kids and get them out, while praying that my husband would be with us soon.
When placed in situations where one’s stability is taken away, like one’s earthly home and health, you learn really quickly where your hope comes from and what’s most important.
-Moses and Michelle Gaddi