Wednesday, July 15, 2015

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Habakkuk: Not the God I Thought”

Supplies: Bible

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Questions are an important part of learning.  That’s why young children ask so many.  If you’ve spent time with a preschooler, you know what I  mean.  They are curious about everything!  They want to know why things are a certain color, why they are a certain size, why these things are different from each other but these others are the same.  They especially want to know why you’re doing whatever it is you’re doing at any given moment.  Just last week I had a three-year old ask me if the container in my hand had food in it.  When I explained it was empty, she wanted to know why.  What do you mean, “Why?”  It’s empty…because it’s empty.

As we grow, some of us continue to ask questions.  We are curious and want to better understand the world around us.  We are interested and want to discover something new.  We are question-askers.  Others of us worry that maybe our questions are silly.  Maybe they make us look foolish or dumb.  Maybe the person we’re asking doesn’t know the answer anyway.   We become question-keepers.

Which are you?  Decide whether you think you’re a question-asker or a question-keeper.  Then think about your family members.  Which are they?  Go around and share what you think and see if your family agrees with you.

READ
Habakkuk was a question-asker.  In fact, he had the courage to ask God his questions.  Many of us, even if we’re question-askers like Habakkuk, might think twice before pestering the Creator with our “Why’s.”  But Habakkuk just plows right through with some tough, bold questions.  Read Habakkuk 1:1-3,12-13.

THINK
 What do you think of Habakkuk’s questions?  The Message says, “God, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen?”  Pretty bold, huh?  At first read, it may seem even to a seasoned question-asker that our prophet stepped across the line here.  These questions are too much.  It’s certainly what I thought when I first read it.  But then I remembered other question-askers who push the boundaries all the time.  Scientists, inventors, explorers, artists—all asking bold questions that eventually lead to incredible discoveries, discoveries that often change how we think and live.

Habakkuk’s questions were bold, but through them we discover something amazing about our God.  He welcomes our questions.  God does not get offended when we ask him things, even bold things.  He does not get upset when we challenge his decisions or implore him for explanations.  God does not get bothered by our “Why’s.”   How wonderful that is!  From Habakkuk, we learn that we have permission to question God, and even better, that he will respond!

APPLY
Are there questions you have for God that you’ve been too polite or maybe even too timid, too scared to ask?  Have you been holding back on your prayers, biting back the “Why” before it escaped?  We see “violence” in our own lives all the time: illness, bullying, divorce, financial struggles, death.  Which of those would like an explanation for?  Or maybe you’re like Habakkuk, and you just want to know how long you need to cry out before God listens to you.  Whatever question is knocking around in your head, go on and let it out.  God knows it’s there and he wants to hear from you.  He knows your heart, but he wants you to share it—even the bold questions.

Take time as a family to close in prayer.  Have someone write down each person’s questions, then take turns asking God..  Lift up one another’s questions throughout the week, too.  Go ahead and seek God boldly!

PRAY
Heavenly Father, you are everything!  You created us, you continue to provide for us, and you have a purpose and plan that lasts far into the future.  Even knowing all of your power and knowledge and goodness, there are still times we struggle to understand your actions.  Thank you for giving us the chance to ask you questions.  Hear our pleas, dear Lord, as we share the burdens of our hearts.  Listen to our cries and answer, Father. In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen

REPLY

Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog?  We'd love to know about it!  Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together.  If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

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