Wednesday, July 16, 2008

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Waiting on God

"I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me" (Habakkuk 2:1).

Habakkuk is one of my favorite prophets and one from whom I think we have a lot to learn about walking in faith.

From the very beginning of the book, we can empathize with him as he cries out to God, "How long, O LORD, must I call out for help, but you do not listen?"  Most of us know only too well the feeling that things are not going the way that we want them to or even going any way that seems remotely to fit with what we think God's plan should be.  We look around us and we see nothing of rhyme or reason and we wonder where God is in all that we are experiencing.  And then, when we cry out to him for an answer, heaven seems closed with an iron door.

I'm not sure how long Habakkuk had to wait after his first "complaint" but it is obvious that he was disappointed in God's answer when it came.  God told the prophet that he was going to do something amazing, something that he would not believe even if he were told it (Habakkuk 1:5).  That sounded really promising when God began, but the thing that God was going to do was to send the dreaded Babylonians to sweep across the earth and destroy Judah in an act of judgment.

Now, Habakkuk has an even bigger problem it seems.  God is no longer silent, but Habakkuk is left struggling to understand his ways.  Now the prophet is forced to cry out with a new cry.  "God, thanks for answering, I know that there is a problem with your people, but I'm not sure I like your solution to the problem."  And, as a result, Habakkuk launches a second "complaint" that is based in the character of God (Habakkuk 1:13), asking God how he can possibly use such a wicked people to "swallow up those more righteous than themselves?"  The Psalms are filled with similar questions as to why the wicked prosper?

I have called Habakkuk's prayers complaints because that is what the headings in my Bible call them, however, they are not actually complaints.  They should really be referred to as laments and there is a powerful difference between complaining and lamenting.  When we complain, we simply give voice to our dislike of a particular situation.  When we lament, we address our frustration to the One who can truly do something to change that situation.  I believe that in the church we have suffered what someone has called "the costly loss of lament," and become nothing more than pious complainers!

That it is lament and not just complaining is evident from Habakkuk's stance in 2:1 quoted above.  "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me."  I have said my peace to God.  Now I will wait for him to answer and do something about the situation.  And, God does answer,

"Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay" (Habakkuk 2:2-3).

God's encouragement to Habakkuk and to all of us when we are waiting on him is that there will be a revelation — I will show my actions and my reasons.  But there is an appointed time for everything and God's sense of timing is perfect even if it doesn't coincide with mine and yours.  Wait for it.  It will certainly come.  When it is time.  Understand that the whole point of this is what happens in you and me in the time of waiting and that God's ultimate purpose is that "the righteous will live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4).  If we always got everything right away and always understood everything, there would be no opportunity for faith!

And so we wait.  In faith and trust.  And we say with this prophet of old, because we know that God is at work,

"Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior."
(Habakkuk 3:17-18).

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