“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.”  HAGGAI 2:6-7

This past week, my youngest son celebrated his birthday. He’s seven. He’ll make sure you know it, too. And in the build up to the day, he let us know that it was coming. He was not subtle. He did not drop hints about things he wanted. He constantly hammered us with his requests for birthday parties and birthday gifts. He explained to Amanda and me that he had decided he’d like to start his birthday by hang gliding, followed roller skating, while concluding our evening by dining on fish tacos.

The build up to his birthday was so obvious. It was so clear. No one could miss it. He made sure of it. But, people do forget things — even obvious things. God’s people aren’t any different. In the Bible, God is not only telling his people to remember the great things that have happened in the past, he’s telling them to anticipate something great that he has not yet done.

So, he says to his lonely people, abandoned in the wake of exile, ‘‘In a little while…’ I’m going to do something spectacular and earth-shattering: the heavens will shake and the earth will move. Get ready for it. Prepare to be amazed.”

I’m excited to be back teaching this weekend at Mariners. There is so much to get excited about. God appears to be issuing that same promise to us — that he is up to something in our midst. This fall is going to be amazing. There’s so many ways to get involved, invite new people, and take that next step in our journey of faith and community.

See you Sunday,

Jeff