Habakkuk had come to plead for his nation.  He first asked God, “Why God haven’t you judge the evil within the nation.” Wanting righteousness restored, he cried “God, do something!” Yet, God’s answer horrified Habakkuk; at least, at first.  He turned his question to ask God why once more.  This time, his confusion was how God could allow an idolatrous nation such as Babylon to flourish, grow and be given the power to take all of Judah captive.  After all, Habakkuk’s prayer to revive the nation and cleanse it from so much evil, certainly did not expect God’s answer to be “a truly evil power will take everyone captive.”  Habakkuk, again asked God why.  Then, he waits for God’s Answer, demonstrating how to wait for God’s reply, whether regarding personal, family or national requests of God. How to wait for God’s answer when our question is “Why?”

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. Habakkuk 2:1

Watchfully wait for God to show the truth of his reasoning.  Many times, in my own life, I searched for God to answer.  Asking for God to heal my husband or my mother.  I asked God why He allowed the abuse I suffered or the cancer I battled.  Why, God so many surgeries or suffering moments?  How can THIS be your plan God? Or perhaps the hardest, why God does it seem that evil is winning?

WATCHFULLY WAIT, EXPECTING AN ANSWER

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As Habakkuk begins his prayer to God, he is heavily burdened by all the strife, contention, violence, and self-exalting behaviors within his nation. Therefore, He cries out to God for allowing such injustice and lawlessness; while the remnant of true believers and worshipers of God are being pushed around by the “wicked.” He asks God: “Why aren’t you doing something?”  (my paraphrase of Habakkuk 1:2-4).

God replies; “Wait and see as I am about to do something you will not believe, unless you see it with your own eyes. I am strengthening a very evil nation who will take captive the nation of Judah” ( my paraphrase of Habakkuk 1: 5-9)

Don’t believe me?  Read:

HABAKKUK 1:5-9 (TLB)

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We look around us at the violence raging in the world and ask God why?  Why have you not rained down your judgement upon all these evil people? For you are the Almighty, Sovereign God; then, why would you allow so much evil among your own people to occur: the hypocrisy, lies, and immorality?  Furthermore God, why do you allow your people to suffer underneath the oppression of evil around the globe?  People suffering from earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, cancer, chronic illness, addictions, and personal crisis.  Every day we, see the effects of sin upon the lives of all: those who stand upon your gospel gift of grace and those who do not.  Then where is the answer we seek?  Why God, does such injustice and violence reign upon this planet called earth?  When will you come down?

We ask so many questions and there are those moments our faith trembles within.  How often have I even narrowed those questions to just my life?  Those moments when my own faith trembles or I am pleading, seeking God’s will while my feet still stumble or my words speak despair into the lives of others instead of light and hope. How does one find hope, joy, love and strength in such a world?

Ah, yes; my hope rests in God’s immutable, unchanging face of love and His Mighty Sovereign Hand of Perfect Righteousness and Justice!  No matter how dark the road may appear and regardless of how devastating the storm; God IS the great I am and He is working all things together for my good and for the good of all who place their faith in Him.  This I have learned over a lifetime-the foundation upon which I stand, arising each morning with steadfast joy.

INJUSTICE AND VIOLENCE REIGN

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Paul, sitting in a dark dungeon cell, wrote a letter to his son in Christ to encourage and strengthen him in the faith.  He had no children; yet, he loved Timothy as though he were his own.  What could he say to this young preacher to convey the heart and soul of the gospel.  How could Paul pour out his heart and love for Christ?  A love that would keep him firmly grounded, even when he knew soon he would be executed.  Sitting there in a cold, damp dungeon cell with little light: chains pulling at his ankles; how does one encourage a beloved son to keep up the good fight, keep on spreading the gospel, regardless of the cost.  Paul wrote: If we believe not; yet, He (God) abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).

GOD IS FAITHFUL, What could it mean?

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Whenever we attempt to compartmentalize God’s Glory by placing one aspect higher than another; we risk losing the truth of God.  All too often, when viewing the diverse excellencies of God’s justice in contrast with His mercy; Christians see this as a hard to rationalize dichotomy. Particularly, in our modern society and church; there is a social drive toward only speaking of God’s love and never His wrath against sin. The dichotomy between God’s Mercy and Justice is not itself a false theology; because, God’s Glory shines radiantly from His just and righteous nature, as much as from His merciful grace toward sinful man. However, a false theology develops when either His Mercy or His Justice is espoused as denying the other.

Yet, here in modern Western culture, we see too many churches falling head first into the theological trap of presenting God’s Love and mercy to the exclusion of His justice. It is as if His justice is something to be left unspoken of for fear that people will not come. Many Christians speak of God’s mercy and love; while ignoring His righteousness, justice and hatred toward sin. When the church focuses only on God’s loving mercy to the exclusion of His justice; it risks falling headlong into a counterfeit theology, where the true God becomes unrecognizable.  Balancing and viewing God’s justice and mercy as equally beautiful aspects of His Glory, is paramount to living a life reflecting His Glory and is key to the Church presenting the gospel of Christ to a world in need of a Savior.

UNDERSTANDING GRACE THROUGH THE EYES OF JUSTICE

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