We weren’t in Nepal when the devastating earthquakes happened earlier this year. When we returned to our flat in Kathmandu, we found that all our neighbors were still living in a state of fear. Tremors had been continuing daily, and there were rumors of a “big one” still to come.

At 6 a.m. the morning after our arrival, we felt our first aftershock. It was unnerving, but I realized the real fear of our Nepali friends came from not knowing what happens at death. One of our neighbors downstairs told me she thought it was the end of the world when the first quake hit. Then she added, “Your prayers for us kept us safe.” I told her God had kept them safe. Yet their fear remains.

Months after the quake, some people in our neighborhood still live under tarp tents. The sun beats down on them every day, and the rainy season is almost upon us. How long will fear keep them out of their homes? I watch as they worship their gods of stone, hoping for something better. We share when opportunities arise, but the multitudes still grope blindly through ritualistic worship of false gods.

My heart aches for them as I pray for this country, these people, and my neighbors specifically. What will it take to open their eyes?

Then I wonder, what will it take to open our eyes? There is a shaking coming upon Christianity, too. Are we ready? Troublesome times are ahead. Jesus is coming soon! Are we living in a state of readiness for that glorious day, or in a state of fear? Shake us, Lord! Wake us, Lord! Open our eyes, Lord! Make us ready today!

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