Tuesday, August 23, 2022

          Habakkuk is a prophet with a strange name and a short book.  He was one of the minor prophets in Israel’s history.  He prophesied primarily to Judah but has a message for anyone who may be asking some difficult and hard questions in the face of life situations and circumstances.  He opened with a complaint that many of us have likely voiced at one time, “How long, LORD?” (1:2a).  At times, we are inclined to ask that question.  How long must something go on?  How long must something last?  How long till we have an answer from the Lord?  We can often find ourselves with more questions than answers.  Usually, we are asking this kind of question when we are facing some trials and unsettled times that tax us emotionally or physically and take a spiritual toll on us.  And occasionally, the answers we do have may not be all that satisfying or encouraging to us.  But even as we ask such questions, we trust the outcomes and results to the Lord and hold on to Him.
            Near the end of his second chapter, Habakkuk offered us a glimpse of the Lord that was similar to what Isaiah 6 revealed.  We read, “The LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him” (2:20).  What an encouragement! Even in the midst of questions and complaints, the prophet reminded us that God remains on the throne (or in His temple).  We look to the Lord in awe and wonder.  Sometimes the answer to our complaints and questions is simply reminding ourselves that the Lord is on the throne and that He remains in charge of this world and us.  When things around us may look crazy or even be crazy, we take comfort in knowing that God has not changed and He has not moved off the throne.  He is the bedrock to which we anchor ourselves. 
            One of the signature passages of the Bible is found in Habakkuk.  He wrote, “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; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to tread on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:17-19).  In a word, Habakkuk said that when nothing is going right, we can still look to the Lord and find our contentment and security in Him.  God’s power is never contingent upon our prosperity or success.  When it seems that all is lost, our faith can endure because we place our faith in the One who is eternal and everlasting.  He neither changes nor weakens.    
            Habakkuk teaches us to find joy and contentment in the Lord and our walk with Him—not in circumstances or the successes or failures we may experience in life.  We rise to new heights and new places through our faith in the Lord and not the things we might have achieved by human power or capabilities.  Habakkuk is well-worth our time to read.  He gives us a vision of God who is majestic, everlasting and all-powerful.  His prophecy can help us reset our faith if we have taken our eyes off of the Lord and what He is able to offer us and do for us.  Even at the end of struggles and battle-filled days we can easily say, “yet will I rejoice in the Lord.”  Have a great Tuesday and rejoice in the Lord.  Remember you can always share our worship with others at youtube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.  And as you pray today, remember our Midway Soccer Ministry and the families that will participate!