Seeing as the Father sees

Seeing as the Father sees

I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. – Habakkuk 3:18

Habakkuk 3:16-19

 16 I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster strikes the people who invade us.

 18 I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

 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. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.

“The problem with people is that they’re only human” (Hobbes, from Calvin & Hobbes).

How often do children of the King experience difficult circumstances in life? It could be a natural disaster or political and economic upheaval. It could be very personal, close to home: health, family, career. Sometimes we reach the breaking point and are ready to collapse emotionally or physically. We feel like we just cannot take anymore!

How often do we find ourselves wrestling with the Father’s plan and justice? Honestly wrestling with the Father regarding circumstances and the hardships of life is a recurrent theme in the Scriptures.

So it was with Habakkuk. Habakkuk was experiencing difficult, dark times. As a prophet, the Father had shown him the coming judgment on the children of Israel. Habakkuk was called to deliver the harsh message of judgment: the coming of the Babylonian hordes. Habakkuk’s heart was in agony. He was practically overwhelmed by heart-pounding, lip-quivering, leg-trembling fear.

Habakkuk 3:16 I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me, and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster strikes the people who invade us.

When Habakkuk sinks as low as he can and reaches the end of his rope, he discovers that the Father has been holding the other end all the time.

Hebrews 13:5 For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

Habakkuk shows the way of dealing with disappointment, discouragement, anguish, and hopelessness. “If you feel hopeless, helpless, or powerless – unable to deal with people or problems and on the verge of exhaustion – take heart in the prophet Habakkuk’s stirring conclusion to his short book” (Stanley).

Habakkuk was continually asking why. He had extended conversations with the Father questioning, challenging, wrestling with Him regarding the way He does things. No doubt Habakkuk thought many times that he had a better plan than the Father.

The Father is ready and willing to intervene when He chooses to do so. Eventually, the Father answered. The Father explained to Habakkuk the reasoning behind what He was doing. Habakkuk did not particularly like what he heard.

He actually was a bit miffed and began to pout.

Habakkuk 1:17-2:1

 17 Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

 2:1 I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guard post. There I will wait to see what the LORD says and how he will answer my complaint.

When the answer came, it was tinged with a bit of a rebuke. So often our questioning is informed by a bit of pride. We are not entirely objective nor pristine.

Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him.

Habakkuk took it in stride and snapped to attention. He did a 180. Indeed, the Father is the sovereign Lord of all. He knows what He is doing. Further, all that He does is right and just.

Habakkuk 2:4 The righteous will live by his faith.

Habakkuk chose to place his trust in Him. 

“Just remember… if things look hopeless, maybe you’re facing the wrong direction!” (Ziggy)

REFLECT & PRAY

“Disappointments are inevitable; discouragement is a choice” (Stanley).

Father when I find myself at the end of my human endurance and I am ravaged by fear and doubt, encourage me to trust You in the dark.

INSIGHT

Each child of the King is being child-trained by Father. It is all part of our journey to maturity. During this process, our Father repeatedly takes each of us to the end of ourselves. Our emotional and physical reserves are drained. How delightful it is to know that the Father relishes in strengthening, refreshing, and reinvigorating fainthearted and worn down children of the King.  “He will supply the power you need to traverse the rough terrain ahead. That’s His promise, and God always keeps His promises” (Stanley).

Isaiah 40:29-31

 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

 30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

 31 But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

“Your reservoir of emotional and physical energy may feel nearly drained, but God’s supply of spiritual stamina never runs out. Come to Him and His Word for the strength to carry on, and He will supply the power you need to traverse the rough terrain ahead. That’s His promise, and God always keeps His promises” (Stanley).

How did Habakkuk respond?

Habakkuk 3:18, 19

 18 I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

“Habakkuk has learned that he can trust God, and with that trust comes great joy, not in circumstances but in God himself: yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. Yahweh has become Habakkuk’s strength (Psalms 18:32, 39)” (ESV notes)

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones” (Confucius).

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