On the Caribbean island of Antigua, a fellow-teacher and I followed a tour guide as she described the interior of a historic building. We were at Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour, a cultural heritage site on the island. All of a sudden, a great roaring sounded. At first, I thought it was a cruise ship docking, but the piers for cruise ships were 12 miles (19 kilometres) away in the capital city of St. John's. Then the dishes on the shelves began rattling. The tour guide calmly announced, "We're in an earthquake, and it's a big one." My friend thought she was just joking, but I saw the evidence. As I looked out the window, thick stone pillars appeared to be swaying as if they were wet noodles! It was definitely one of the weirdest sights I have ever seen!

A few days later, I bought a newspaper to find out more. The earthquake, 7.4 on the Richter scale, had its epicentre in St. Pierre, Martinique, a few islands south of Antigua. That spot had a few casualties, but the island of Antigua merely sustained a severe shaking.

I pondered those stone pillars again. I found out that they were all that remained of a sail loft and boathouse that had been built in 1797. More than a century ago, the two-storied boathouse was destroyed, along with its roof, in a previous earthquake, and later, a hurricane. Now the pillars stand alone on both sides of a slip, a former parking spot for ships.

For pillars built of stone blocks only to sway and not to topple over during an earthquake seemed impossible. It just seemed to defy the forces of nature. Obviously, they were well built.

Psalm 104:5 – You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved. (NLT)

Psalm 75:3 – When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil, I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. (NLT)

As well-built as those pillars were, it is God Who laid the foundation of the earth. The same power that set the world in place gives us a solid foundation for our faith. When our personal world is shaken by adversity, a serious health diagnosis, sudden unemployment, or anything else that threatens our equilibrium, we had better be sure that our foundation is firm.

Matthew 7:24 – Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. (NLT)

It is not enough merely to listen to the teachings of the Bible. We may have read the same passages many times and prayed the same prayers over and over, but we have to take action. Obedience to the Word gives us a solid foundation that will stand against the storms of life. Let us realize that we can stand firm when everything around us is shaking.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that in You, we have a firm foundation and can withstand the storms of life. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.