Habakkuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4
The Prophet’s Complaint
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?
Or cry to you ‘Violence!’
and you will not save?
Why do you make me see wrongdoing
and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law becomes slack
and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous—
therefore judgement comes forth perverted.
God’s Reply to the Prophet’s Complaint
I will stand at my watch-post,
and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith.
Reflection
Just read the papers. Listen to the local and national news on television. It's all around. We kill each other for what we believe to be just causes day after day after day. It's been going on forever it seems. It never stops. Were we created to kill and destroy one another because of stands that we take believing that only we are on the right? Why? Why doesn't the Creator of this world step in and make all things new? Why does God permit all of this death and violence to continue in our cities, in our factories, in our schools, in our nation, all across this planet we seek to kill one another? Why?
It's not God's fault is it? It's our own sinfulness. God did not create us to kill one another. God created us to be a pleasing site. God created us to live in harmony with one another and with all creation. But we stepped in with our selfish need for power and the wisdom of God and took of the fruit of the devil. We did this. God gave us the ability and the choice to do this and we did it. No one else did this but ourselves. And I dare you to think that you didn't. I dare you to try to exclude yourself from this sin. We all have sinned and we all have brought this death upon ourselves. We all have brought this hatred upon this world.
Yes, we need a Savior. We need a God. We need someone to clean up this mess we have made of ourselves and one another. We need a God that can defeat, sin, death, the devil and our sinful, selfish selves. We need Jesus!
And God has told us to wait. We have Jesus and we know what God has done through our Savior, but there is more. There is more to be done on this earth. The more we are called to do. We are called to wait and listen and obey and follow Jesus. God sent Jesus to save us and God is sending Jesus again to rescue us and make it all final. But we must wait.
The passage above is a revelation to the prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk cries out to God on the behalf of a nation of God's people who have sinned and separated themselves. Why? Why oh Lord does this continue on in this manner? Why do your people continue to sin? Why don't you intervene, O Lord, on the behalf of your people?
The world at that time believed in a host of gods who were at war and fighting with one another. They didn't believe in just one God as the Israelites proclaimed. The world, in general, believed in many gods. The wicked surround the righteous, so why doesn't God step in?
Only integrity lasts in this world of sin, death, the devil, selfishness, and many many gods. Only the integrity of God lasts. Those with integrity, the righteous, shall live by faith. Maintain integrity with God and faithfulness to God our Father and Savior and through Jesus, you will come to the end. But, you must wait on the Lord. It's the Lord's time, not yours. All you have is a gift from God, your time, your talent and your treasure comes from God. So, wait! Trust and believe and have faith in God and wait! The time of deliverance has come and will be fulfilled. So, wait and God will fulfill the promise. Have faith! Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord I wait. I wait on you. You have come down from heaven, lived, ministered, healed, suffered, died and rose again. You ascended into heaven and promise to return. So, I wait in faith and love for you and for those you give to me day by day. I wait for your return, knowing by faith that what you say you will do... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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