O Lord, how long shall I cry,
And You will not hear?
Even cry out to You, "Violence!"
And You will not save.
Why do You show me iniquity
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.
Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
Habakkuk 1:2-4
Habakkuk talked to God and asked Him, “Why?” Violence and lawlessness raged, but God was silent. God seemed to be unconcerned. The news today speaks of the rise of Islam and Sharia Law in some of our cities, and everyone lives by their personal truth, not the truth of the Scriptures. God is concerned and His words warn us in Proverbs 3:7 “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.”
Churches do not preach the truth about sin and that Jesus died on the cross for us. Prosperity preaching is popular, but is not the truth. The truth is we are all sinners who need a Savior. Our warning is in Revelation 3:1 “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”
Knowledge is increasing at a rapid pace and AI is changing the world. Prophecy warns us in Daniel 12:4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Where is God in all of this? Where was He in Habakkuk’s day? The answer was clear then and it is clear now. He is beside us through it all, but He is sending us a message, “You do not need to know why you are surrounded by evil, you need to trust.” God is in control. He has a plan and a purpose. Faith is knowing that all things are permitted by Him for a purpose. Habakkuk concludes with this wonderful hymn of faith which I have written as a poem called Rejoice.
Rejoice
When the fig tree does not bud,
Your peace blooms in me.
When the vines have no grapes,
Your fruit I can see.
When the olive crop fails,
Your love overflows.
When the fields produce no food,
Your truth feeds my soul.
When no sheep are in the pen,
You become my shepherd.
When no cattle are in the stalls,
I’ll trust in Your word.
I’ll rejoice in You always.
Each day starts anew.
I’ll rejoice with great joy.
Your grace sees me through.
(Based on Habakkuk 3: 17-18)
"The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills." Habakkuk 3:18
