Cool Devotions

Habbakuk Keeps It Real

published May 30, 2006 12:00

http://www.633main.com/dev246.htm One of my favorite books of the Bible is Habbukuk. And this weekend I visited a church where the pastor's sermon was on Habbukuk. The reason I like Habbakuk so much is becasue this brother Kept It Real. And you know, I like to keep it real. Habbakuk kept it real and talked frankly with God about stuff he thought was unfair. He complained to God about the same thing that bothers us today- Why does God allow evil people to prosper so much?? In chapter one, Habbakuk opens up complaining to God. In my own words he says, "God? Come on! How long do I have to cry to you about all the mess going on down here? Israel is crazy, they are out of control. If I did not know any better, it seems that I care about judgement more than You do." And God responds, "Dude, calm down. I am about to unleash something that you wouldn't believe it if I told you. You aint never seen what I'm about to do. I am about to raise up the Babylonians to deal with Israel." So Habbakuk responds and says, "God. Why are you gonna use such an evil people to pass judgement on us. I mean, I thought we were bad, but come on, these guys are sick! Now you're a fair God, why do you let them get away with worse stuff than us? Now God, I have faith in you, so I am gonna sit right here til I get an answer from you." Now how tight is Habbakuk? This "minor" prophet is awesome. He has such an open and trusting relationship with God, that he can debate with God, and get away with it! Now to be clear he wasnt disrespectful and think himself equal to God, but he did trust God so much to ask Him, "What's the deal?" And God sympahized enough with him to give him an answer. Which Him being God did not have to do. But God's response is the lesson for today. God says to us, "Look. The last time I checked, I am God. What you need to do is excercise the little faith you got and trust that I have this all figured out. Don't worry about the wicked, because the Just Live By His Faith!" So trust me!" Now I know you have heard that text many times, "The just live by faith." But it is so mis-quoted. Habbukuk 2:4 says, "The just shall live by HIS faith." Now, heres the question, who's faith are we talking about here? The Justs' faith? No. The Just shall live by God's faithfullnes. So I encourage you to keep it real with God, but don't let the stuff going on around you cause your faith to waiver. Don't be concerned that evil people seemingly prosper despite all the havoc they cause. Simply trust that God will deal with it in His time, and remember your life is sustained by His faithfulness to pass the proper judgement on the good and the evil. So Habbakuk is another author we get this song from: Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! -Eric Lusain, Cincinnati, OH