Times come that test our faith. We see terrible things happening. Evil running rampant around the world. Disasters that sweep through and leave unbearable grief and loss behind. I, like you, have had many opportunities in my life to ask the question, that often does not have an answer. Why? The day I found the book of Habakkuk was one of the saddest days in our history. As a young believer I did not stray far from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John when studying the Bible. I mean, I had never paid attention to this book, with an odd name, three chapters and a total of fifty-six verses. That was until September 11, 2001. I was so stunned at what my eyes were seeing and the evil that gives birth to such horror that I was sitting on my patio with my Bible trying to find something to give me hope that God was aware of the suffering and terror. I found peace that day, in these three chapters. I have read them over and over and over, through the years since that day.
Habakkuk is struggling with what is going on in his world. His question?
Habakkuk 1:2-3
2 How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. 3 Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. (NASB)
He spends seventeen verses pointing out what is going on, as though it has somehow slipped by God, unnoticed. There is a good bit of evil going on and God is not hearing the cries for help! Sound vaguely familiar?
God allows him to free his soul of what troubles him and then in chapter two God responds. Twenty powerful verses. The one that reminds not only Habakkuk but generations of believers to come after him, something we must never forget:
Habakkuk 2:20
20 “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” (NASB)
Chapter three is the prayer of Habakkuk. He acknowledges that he has heard the report about God and he fears. He prays that God in His wrath would remember mercy. He then begins to honor God with his praise and speaks to specific things God has done in the past. Habakkuk takes his proper place in respect to his holy, sovereign God. He relinguished his own misplaced efforts to control and placed his confidence once again, in God. Then Habakkuk prays something that will carry him through the days of waiting. The days of anxiety. The days of fear and sorrow. And, yes, the days of anger. When in desperation we cry out, “Why God, Why?”
Habakkuk 3:17-19
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. (NASB)
~Thought For Today~
There are times we need to be reminded that our God is holy. That He could dissolve everything with His breath. That He knows everything that takes place in the light and in the darkness. He is in control. When difficult days come we can think back on the times past when He came to our rescue. As He did then, He will do in our future. Though we have difficult days, He is our strength. he will make our feet like hinds’ feet.
The hind is a red, female deer. She lives in the mountains. Her back feet step in the exact spot where the front feet have just been. She follows through on her journey, the most focused and sure-footed of all the mountain animals. God will make our feet as hinds’ feet. Why? Because He has some special high places to take us. There will be valleys our Shepherd will guide us through, but hold on for the high places, prepared especially for us.
~Prayer For Today~
Hello Father! It is shameful that we need to be reminded that You are a Holy God. You are in control. Our sovereign, Holy God. Thank You for Your patience with us. We pray for strength and faith to carry us through our days and for the memories of the times past when You helped us recover from the valley and begin climbing, sure-footed and strong, to the high places, once again. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
©2015 Kathy Ledbetter. All Rights Reserved.