October 4th - Reflection

Habakkuk 1:5-17 (NRSV)
The wicked swallow the righteous

Look at the nations, and see!
Be astonished! Be astounded!
For a work is being done in your days
that you would not believe if you were told.
For I am rousing the Chaldeans,
that fierce and impetuous nation,
who march through the breadth of the earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
Dread and fearsome are they;
their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
more menacing than wolves at dusk;
their horses charge.
Their horsemen come from far away;
they fly like an eagle swift to devour.
They all come for violence,
with faces pressing forward;
they gather captives like sand.
At kings they scoff,
and of rulers they make sport.
They laugh at every fortress,
and heap up earth to take it.
Then they sweep by like the wind;
they transgress and become guilty;
their own might is their god!

Are you not from of old,
O Lord my God, my Holy One?
You shall not die.
O Lord, you have marked them for judgment;
and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment.
Your eyes are too pure to behold evil,
and you cannot look on wrongdoing;
why do you look on the treacherous,
and are silent when the wicked swallow
those more righteous than they?
You have made people like the fish of the sea,
like crawling things that have no ruler.

The enemy brings all of them up with a hook;
he drags them out with his net,
he gathers them in his seine;
so he rejoices and exults.
Therefore he sacrifices to his net
and makes offerings to his seine;
for by them his portion is lavish,
and his food is rich.
Is he then to keep on emptying his net,
and destroying nations without mercy?

Reflection
The enemy can sweep in on you with power and force when you least expect it. And, it seems, in some times, God allows this to happen. How will you react? Will you fight? Will you run? Will you ask for help?

When we turn from God, we attempt to take care of situations on our own. We use the power we have to fight the fight. But, our power alone isn't enough to fight off the forces of evil or temptation. We need God! It's as simple as that. We need to be willing to go to battle, but we need God. Turn to God in prayer. Seek direction. Stop and listen before taking action. God does not want to destroy you. But if you don't turn to God; you will be destroyed. Place your trust and faith in God and pray. Then go to work at the direction God leads. We need God!

Prayer
Lord, hear my prayer, I need you...I need you day after day...walk with me and lead me, gift me and send me. I joy in working, honoring and praising you. I need you and want you. I want to do your will this day. I need you! --- Amen