Thursday, December 10
Read Habakkuk 3
Think About It:
When Habakkuk started his book, he was “down in the valley,” wrestling with the will of God. Then he climbed higher and stood on the watchtower, waiting for God to reply. After hearing God’s Word and seeing God’s Glory, He became like a deer bounding confidently on the mountain Heights! (3:19) His circumstances hadn’t changed, but he had changed, and now he was walking by faith instead of sight. He was living promises, not explanations.
It isn’t easy to climb higher in the life of faith, but who wants to live in the valley? We must honestly talk to God about our difficulties. We must pray, we must meditate on God’s Word, and we must be willing to experience fear and trembling as the LORD reveals himself to us (verse 16). But it will be worth it as we reach the new summits of faith and discover new opportunities for growth and service.
What took Habakkuk from the valley to the summit? The same spiritual disciplines that can take us there: prayer, vision, and faith. He prayed because he had heard God speak. Hearing God’s Word generates faith in the heart of the child of God. He was overwhelmed by God’s splendor. He had seen a vision of the greatness of God, recorded for us in verses 3 -15, and this vision left him weak and helpless. All he could do was cry out to God.
God came in splendor. Everything about the stanza reveals the Glory of God. He is called “The Holy One”, one name used in Isaiah at least 30 times. “His Glory covered the heavens” is an anticipation of the time when His Glory will cover all the earth. God’s appearance was like the lightning that plays across the heavens before the storm breaks. All creation joined in praising Him as “The earth was full of His praise.” God’s brightness was like the sunrise only to a greater degree.
The LORD stood in power. Invading generals either push forward to gain ground or they fall back in retreat, but the LORD simply stood and faced the enemy unafraid. In fact, He calmly measured the earth as a sign that he possessed it. To measure something is an indication that it’s yours and you can do with it what you please.
God marched in victory. In this hymn, Habakkuk describes his God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ. He is the God of Glory who reveals His Glory in creation and in history. He’s the Living God who makes the dead idols of the nation’s look ridiculous. He is the God of power who can command land and sea, heaven and earth, and therefore, He is the God of victory who leads His people in triumph.
I will wait patiently on the LORD. When he looked within, he saw himself trembling with fear, and when he looked around, he saw everything in the economy about to fall apart. But when he looked up by faith, he saw God. And all his fears vanished. To walk by faith means to focus on the greatness and Glory of God.
I will rejoice in the LORD. Habakkuk couldn’t rejoice in his circumstances, but he can rejoice in his God!
I will rely on the LORD. Habakkuk teaches us to face our doubts and questions honestly, take them humbly to the LORD, wait for His Word to teach us, and then worship him no matter how we feel or what we see. God doesn’t always change the circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That is what it means to live by faith.
Family Time:
Habakkuk’s prayer reflects the truth of God’s awesome power—IT IS OVERWHELMING!
Knowing that God’s power and purpose prevails, can you pray like Habakkuk prayed—rejoicing and having joy in the LORD regardless of how bad things look around you?
