Lessons from Habakkuk

The last few weeks we've been hearing about Habakkuk at our services at Trent. I'll jot down a few things from my notes. Basically Habakkuk was having a conversation with God. He had a couple of complaints for God.

1-  Are you listening to what's going on? Why don't you answer my call for help? Why does the evil going on in Judah go unpunished?

It can seem like people are getting away with horrible behavior at times, even prospering because of it. God doesn't always respond the way we'd like Him to. For instance, God would send the evil Babylonians in to attack and judge Judah for the evil they were committing. That's when Habakkuks' faith and ours as well could come upon thin ice.
That's when we need to back up, take some time to reflect on who God really is, and the promises He's made. Then we can commit the problem to God knowing & trusting that He knows best.

2- God you can't look upon evil. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? How could a just God use a ruthless Babylon to judge Judah who was more righteous?

We learn that God does not tolerate sin. Judgement of the Babylonians will come. We learn that God works with great confidence because he told Habakkuk to write down the revelation so that a herald may run with it." For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false."

God is eternal. He sees the end from the beginning and everything in between.. God is in control and has a Divine mandate. He works in His own time. We wait and need to persevere. He sees the whole picture, we don't.
Habakkuk gained confidence when he got a better understanding of who God is. God's mercy falls on those who are righteous and just. Gods' Holiness demands that He deal with sin. God does everything for His ultimate Glory and His Kingdom.
We too need to regain a better undertanding of who God is. He is not just our best buddy. He is the infinitely Majestic Creator of the universe. He is to be Feared and Reverenced. He is Holy and Righteous. He is Perfect in every way. He is Sovereign. He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith and so much more.

 Habakkuk gains a better realization of who God really is through remembering what God did for his people Judah and it leads him to praise God. He asks God to do His work and His will. He realized that God can't be stopped and He is faithful and unchanging. He decides to fully trust God. He knows that God does not change because of circumstance.
Habakkuk ends with saying that though he loses everything he will trust in God. " Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights."

May I too, just as Habakkuk, trust God to work out His perfect will in my circumstances when I don't have a clue what He's up to...

Jesus

It was my sin that held Him there,
Upon that rugged cross you'll see,
The marks of penalty, mine to bear,
He suffered, bled and died for me.

The grave, it could not hold Him fast,
Satans' victory, was ne'er to be,
For He arose after three days past,
He suffered, bled and lives for me.

Now He's in Heaven and lives on high,
At His Fathers' right hand He'll be,
For we as sinners, an advocate nigh,
He suffered, bled and intercedes for me.

But just hang on, there's one more thing,
He's coming back again,
This time He's coming as our King,
He died , He rose, I'll reign with Him!

                                            -c.mcgrath