PRAY IT! Not the God I thought - The Good Company of Habakkuk

Two weeks ago, in the “Pray It” portion of the blog, we looked at how we could pray in light of Habakkuk.  Step 1 was to have a raw conversation with God:  to get vulnerable, honest, and specific, trusting our God all the while as we get to know Him better.  Last week, we agreed to partake in the second step:  to wait for and to listen to God’s response.  This week, as we continue to "pray it" in light of our Habakkuk sermon series, we continue on by looking at Habakkuk 1:12-2:4.  Thus far, Habakkuk prayerfully complained to God.  Habakkuk listened.  God answered.  Habakkuk does not like the response.  The Babylonians???!!!  No. 

Why Is God Silent Now?

^12-13 God, you’re from eternity, aren’t you?
    Holy God, we aren’t going to die, are we?
God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work?
    Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline?
But you can’t be serious!
    You can’t condone evil!
So why don’t you do something about this?
    Why are you silent now?
This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous
    and you stand around and watch!

^14-16 You’re treating men and women
    as so many fish in the ocean,
Swimming without direction,
    swimming but not getting anywhere.
Then this evil Babylonian arrives and goes fishing.
    He pulls in a good catch.
He catches his limit and fills his creel—
    a good day of fishing! He’s happy!
He praises his rod and reel,
    piles his fishing gear on an altar and worships it!
It’s made his day,
    and he’s going to eat well tonight!

¹⁷ Are you going to let this go on and on?
    Will you let this Babylonian fisherman
Fish like a weekend angler,
    killing people as if they’re nothing but fish?

2 What’s God going to say to my questions? I’m braced for the worst.
    I’ll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I’ll wait to see what God says,
    how he’ll answer my complaint.

Full of Self, but Soul-Empty

^2-3 And then God answered: “Write this.
    Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
    so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
    pointing to what’s coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
    And it doesn’t lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
    It’s on its way. It will come right on time.

⁴ “Look at that man, bloated by self-importance—
    full of himself but soul-empty.
But the person in right standing before God
    through loyal and steady believing
    is fully alive, really alive.

 

As we "pray it" again, this week, we repeat steps 1 and 2:  we continue the conversation with God rather than pulling away.  Listen.  This is conversation.  This is relationship.  This is getting to know our God. 

Does Habakkuk turn a blind eye/deaf ear to God after he receives God's first answer?  Nope.  He presses on.  While in his first complaint, Habakkuk is praying with regards to the violence occurring among his people, now Habakkuk focuses on how the Babylonians are evil and not a fitting punishment.  Habakkuk's view of himself/his people, the Babylonians, and God, need shifted.  And God kindly assists Habakkuk in this.

In what areas of your life do you need a shift in perspective?  Pray for God's clarity and for Him to reveal this to you now.  Continue the conversation.

Dear God,
In your kindness, please reveal to me areas of my life that need a shift in perspective.  Please help me to see you for who you are, to see me as who I am, and to see others as who they are.  Please help me to live by faith and to follow you, and to enter and remain in your presence.
Amen.

PoC|Coverage - tonight at 6pm!  No prayer too small, no need too far... We've got you covered!

 



Pastor Celia