“Habakkuk deals with the questions that come up when someone really believes God, yet looks around them and the world doesn’t seem to match up with how God wants it.”
Ever feel that way in the moment when you believe God’s Word where it says that if you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains? It makes me wonder if anybody is actually praying based on what you see on the news. If 75+% of us are believers, can God’s people can actually move mountains? If so, why are we in such political turmoil? If God’s people can move mountains, why are their still hungry people in the U.S.? And why do people still suffer?
Those are great questions. They are honest questions. I ask them often.
I think God’s Word through Habakkuk gives us some perspective on this. Habakkuk prays a similar prayer that my heart longs for in chapter 3 verse 2:
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.
This is what I want. I want revival in our land. I want unity among the citizens of our great nation. I want God to do again today what I’ve heard he has done in the past! God answered Habakkuk’s prayer. But, probably not how Habakkuk dreamt the best way would be. Habakkuk prayed that prayer a few years before the nation of Israel and city of Jerusalem came under attack from Babylon when the citizens became captives for 70 years. They were in spiritual decline which cause them to be a weak and un-unified people. What God knew and Habakkuk learned is that the people had to hit rock bottom before they were in a place to put God at the top of the nation again. I do not want you to lose hope for the U.S.ofA. when I say this. I am also not endorsing us to speed along this process. Do not go out and vote for, what in your mind, would be the worst candidate for president to help our nation along.
What I am saying is, “Look for the opportunity.” Individually, there are people around us who have hit rock bottom in the recent past. They are looking for hope. Give them a handout. Help them up in this moment. You may just see God’s fame come to life in the life of the person standing next to you. I don’t know what you believe, but let me tell you this: New life, life change, the moving of the Holy Spirit conversion of lives happens everyday in our great nation. It happens everyday in the halls of our public schools. The Holy Spirit is alive and well and is changing hearts and lives daily. Don’t believe me, reach out and I will share stories.
So pray. Seek God’s face. And be on the look out for an opportunity to bring God’s fame and share His deeds with someone who is looking.
Peace,
Brad Schelling
