Last week, I was meditating on Habakkuk 2:3 "For the vision is yet for an appointed time: but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." In our Bible study on Isaiah, the concept often comes up of God's every word coming to pass, without exception. This has been increasingly true in my life of late, as so many dreams are coming to fruition.
I decided to read the entirety of the book; I felt much more ready to do this having spent so much time in Isaiah--the prophetic books are not near as intimidating now!! Habakkuk's cry to the LORD at the beginning of Chapter 1 should be echoed by anyone, believer or non-, who takes an honest look at our world: "Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds" (1:3) Why is God still putting up with our broken, desolate, destructive world? I'm sure these thoughts resounded in the heart of Noah, the only righteous man in a society of wickedness run rampant.
Listening to news reports and reading the headlines, it seems improbable that in our world of technology and digital communication, anyone is left who has not heard the truth, and an overwhelming number seem to have rejected it. What is God waiting for?! And what are we to do with this viewpoint? How are we to think, act, and pray in a world full of such vile sin? The answer comes: "I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you." (1:5) We are to seek HIS viewpoint.
Habakkuk has an amazing understanding of God's holiness and asks a valid question: how is it that you, the Most Holy God, are choosing to continue looking upon the sinful masses of humanity, those who are destroying one another for personal gain? And yet I love Habakkuk's response 2:1 "I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected."
In this response, Habakkuk shows strength, humility, and trust. First, he makes a firm decision not to allow the ravages of the world to drive him into hiding in fear. He knows, as God's servant, that God has promised to "work a work", and he will not cower and risk missing what God will do. Secondly, he displays trust: he doesn't say whimperingly, "I will watch and wait and hope and pray that God hears me and responds." No. He said, "watch to see what he will say to me". There is not a doubt in Habakkuk's mind that God WILL hear him and WILL answer. Last but not least comes humility. I was astonished, struck by his obvious expectation that he didn't have a full understanding, and he was eager to hear God's corrective response.
Do I come to the Lord this way? I think not, most of the time. It's so much easier to just pray, telling God how I see it, and then say, "Okay, God, great talking to you; thanks for your time. Amen." How much deeper in my understanding and wisdom could I go if I allowed the Lord to correct my thinking?
All of this brings me back around to the world and its obvious state of decay. I don't know why God is allowing so much pain and sorrow as a result of sin, and I don't know why he sits back and watches the forces of evil reap so much victory. But I acknowledge that God is all-powerful, and he has not ignored the state of our world. He will come. He will not delay. I pray I am standing on my watch, set upon a rampart, waiting for him.
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