“Did you have a good week?” “No”, was my curt response to my son. Out of concern, he began inquiring if it was because of all that’s taking place in the world or something else. “All the above and everything else I attempted.” I started sliding into my pit Saturday morning when I searched for my Sustaining Word. For the fourth week in a row, my computer had erased my SW, which was ready for the final edit. Yes, before you ask, I had saved it and don’t have an inkling of what’s happening. In the previous weeks, I had rewritten it, but this time I didn’t have the energy. Then my cell phone died and our phone signal booster stopped working. I could tell you more, but I don’t want to bore you. By Monday, I was looking for a Sustaining Word that would help me. Why am I sharing this? Not to get pity but to show we all can become overwhelmed.
What can anyone say after the last couple of weeks? I finally told my wife what was going on inside of me. I admit her simple faith runs circles around mine. She just responded, “God’s in control and knows what He’s doing.” Sorry, but my analytical and theological thoughts were more like, “Did God take a leave of absence? Why doesn’t He stop all that’s going on in and around our lives?”
Then the Holy Spirit reminded me of the prophet Habakkuk. We know little about him, but most believe he lived in the period just before the fall of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The prophet asked God why He was allowing all that was happening to the nation. He’s not alone in asking God ‘why’, King David, and even Jesus asked why. But Habakkuk’s inquiries were for more than just information. They were laced with a bit of anger and attitude toward God, even questioning His character and ability.
How long, Lord, must I call for help and You do not listen or cry out to You about violence and You do not save? 3 Why do You force me to look at injustice? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates. 4 This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted. (Hab 1:2-4 HOL) Are You not from eternity, Yahweh my God? My Holy One, You will not die. Lord, You appointed them to execute judgment; my Rock, You destined them to punish us. 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous? Why are You silent while one who is wicked swallows up one who is more righteous than himself? (vv12,13).
Habakkuk was blunt and expressed his deep emotions. We might have expected that a fire would have come down and consumed the prophet. The lesson, we never intimidate God by our questions or our anger toward Him. God responded to the complaint. But He tells Habakkuk that he won’t understand His answer. He will use Babylonians to judge Judah’s sin. God says just watch because it wasn’t yet the appointed time. “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told (1:5). God also promised, “For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea (2:14). Although God will use the Babylonians, a time will come when the Lord will judge them. He pronounces five Woes on them (2:9-20).
In Habakkuk’s third prayer, he declared his trust in God had been restored (3:1-19). God reminds us, But the righteous will live by his faith (2:4). Three times Paul quotes this verse. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: “But the righteous one will live by faith” (Rom 1:17) Now, that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “the righteous one will live by faith.” (Gal 3:11). But My righteous one will live by faith (Heb 10:38). What is faith? Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Heb 11:1 NIV). Stop being afraid of what you see. God reminded Habakkuk of the limitations of man’s perspective. The lesson for us is we can rise above our circumstances and even rejoice in them by focusing on God.
Habakkuk went from doubtful whining to worship accepting by faith that no matter how bad things become, the Lord God was still in control. P.S. God brought me out of my pit and gave me His peace that passes my understanding (Phil 2:7).
Sustaining Word for the Week: Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength (3:17-19 NIV).