Dr. Craig Mobey
Habakkuk is an interesting Book. On the one hand, it shows us that we can respectfully and reverently question what God is doing. On the other hand, it shows us that He is a sovereign God who will keep His promises.
It shows us that we don’t know everything that God is doing or indeed, understand it. God told Habakkuk, “Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told” (1:5, NIV).
It shows us that, like in Habakkuk’s world, when we survey our world, we too find much to complain about things around us: ungodliness, depravity, unemployment, corruption, sabotage, threatened food security, crime and more. Like Habakkuk, we might wonder, “How can God let this happen? Does He not see?”
What if we, see that our enemies seem to prosper while we continuously struggle?
What we see happening around us is not the permanent or final state of affairs. What we see is the current and temporary state of affairs. Jesus is coming again, and God’s judgment is also coming.
Habakkuk says something interesting in 3:19, “The LORD and King gives me strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He helps me walk on the highest places.” With God as our strength, we can rise above those things we see that we might ordinarily complain about.
The pathway of suffering and sorrow is one we walk while trusting God. This pathway is a place of movement, not a destination. Habakkuk’s audience anticipated their restoration and to once again rejoice in the high places of Judea. Are you anticipating restoration and revival?
Maybe, like Habakkuk (2:2), we need that quiet moment before God that changed his focus.
In (3:2, NIV) he writes, “LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”
To this, I say, “Amen.”