Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 8; 3 John; Habakkuk 3; Luke 22
Habakkuk 3:17-19 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
This is the song of one who trusts God. There is no name-it-and-claim-it theology here! Habakkuk was looking at a national disaster and wondering why God would permit the wicked Chaldeans to devastate their land. God told him that it would happen and it would pass and the Chaldeans would be punished. Habakkuk then realized that righteous people suffer sometimes. He closes he short prophecy with these words.
In essence he says if all the crops fail I will rejoice in the LORD. In our day that would be like saying, “If we have a depression, I will rejoice in the LORD.” Even if things go bad I will not blame God, but I will praise him because he is worthy to be praised.
Have you ever fallen into the trap of thinking that God is supposed to make sure that everything goes right in your life? Many people do! They look at circumstances and determine that God is for them or against them by the way their job is going. Some people think that Christians are to always be wealthy and everything going their way. Just look at the apostles for an example of suffering. They experienced many hardships and they were doing what Jesus told them to do. Our Lord told us:
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Have you ever watched a deer travel in the mountains? It truly is amazing to see how sure footed they are. Will you, like Habakkuk, realize that even though there is tribulation when you joy in the God of your salvation, he give you hinds feet to walk on the high places during the difficulty? Even in suffering, God has a plan for you. Let’s praise him today!
In Christ,
Rody
