Question and Waiting

Scripture Text: Habakkuk 1:12-2:1

But how can you stand these treacherous, evil men? Your eyes are too holy to look at evil, and you cannot stand the sight of people doing wrong. So why are you silent while they destroy people who are more righteous than they are?

Habakkuk 1:13

No doubt you have heard of the Swiss Army knife. But have you heard of a model called the Giant? It weighs two pounds, costs about $720, is assembled by hand in Switzerland, and contains 85 different devices, including such exotic tools as a cigar cutter, fish-hook disgorger, and golf-club face cleaner. The Giant incorporates every feature of every other model of Swiss Army knife and is mainly intended for collectors. Although rather impractical to carry daily, it is an impressive reminder of what a useful tool a Swiss Army knife can be.

Tools were on Habakkuk's mind in today's reading. God had just told him that Babylon would be His tool to straighten out the injustices described in the prophet's first question. But this answer created new problems, so Habakkuk had a second question: How can evil be an instrument of justice? Or more specifically, if the scales of justice for Judah were to be balanced by an arrogant and godless conqueror, how would those scales be balanced for Babylon? He believed firmly that God was eternal, sovereign, and absolutely holy (Habakkuk 1:12-13a). How, then, could He do what He had just told him He would do? Wasn't it inconsistent with His divine nature? Wasn't the cure worse than the disease?

Our key verse today sums up the “problem of evil.” Habakkuk was being thrown out of balance or reeling at this stage. Spiritually and morally, everything seemed out of order or distorted. It was as though he had asked a question about fish, and in response had been told justice would be done on the fish by means of a wicked fisherman (Habakkuk 1:14-16). That made things even worse! Would such an evil and unjust state of affairs be allowed to endure? “Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?” (Habakkuk 1:17). Habakkuk vowed to watch and wait for God's answer to this urgent and difficult question (Habakkuk 2:1).

Reflect

1. How’s your confidence to approach God with difficult questions?

2. Do you have the fear to approach Him with tough, knee-jerking questions and afraid that He will be stumped or baffled or be irritated by such?

3. Are you willing to wait and prepared to accept His answer?

Remember

So far, the book of Habakkuk has already taught us at least one truth that might bring a sigh of relief—you can ask God any question. He's big enough for your toughest ones. He won't be stumped or baffled. The kind of answer you want isn't guaranteed, of course, but prophets and psalmists have provided many examples of crying out deep, honest, painful questions to God. If you've been holding back, speak, talk, commune with God and express to Him your most perplexing questions. He will be more than willing to listen and speak with you.

Dear readers, God surely answers prayers. And in the Person of Christ Jesus, it is revealed and He will reveal for He is God’s wisdom and again, we find all “YES” to all our queries in our prayers and in Him.

Read

Psalm 83; Hebrews 10:30; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 19-20; 1 Corinthians 1:30

Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, I praise You for Your displays of power in the past and Your promises of victory in the future, for they replace my fear of the world with confidence in You. Please always open my eyes to see You more. Thank You for assuring me that I can approach You with all my difficult questions about the different aspects and conditions of my life. Teach my heart to wait for Your answer and accept it wholeheartedly and joyfully. This I pray in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.