It doesn’t take a genius to see that there are problems on every hand. It is true in America and it is true all over the earth. I read of a Missouri couple who had a personal problem a few years ago. They built their 5,300-square-foot home in a gated community in Florida. The three-story house had five bedrooms, three floors, beautiful verandas, and it was bordered with palm trees. The only problem: The contractor built the house on the wrong lot. I never heard how it turned out. But it was obviously a problem.
Look at our nation today there is problem after problem. Seventy-five per cent of Americans polled recently said we are going the wrong direction as a nation. A few of the problems we face are:
- The Virus with all of its implications
- Marxist “soft takeover”
- Loss of morals – The “Bible Belt” City Council of Edmond, OK authorized “Gay Pride Month” a few months ago. Pastor Paul Blair and only ten other Pastors joined together to challenge the Council’s decision. The Mayor and the Council ignored their petition.
- Many schools now are about indoctrination not education
- Lack of godly political representation – election fraud and Christian apathy
We have questions in light of the problems:
- What’s going on?
- Why is this happening?
- Where’s God and why isn’t He fixing this?
The prophet Habakkuk saw similar things in his day. Habakkuk 1:1-4 (ESV) reads:
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?
3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
I know there are many who don’t want to see inconvenient truths in their lives, the life of their church, or the life of the nation. The reason is often because seeing truth will of necessity compel us to act. “If I don’t see it, I don’t have to do anything about it,” we think. The problem is, the truth is there whether we see it or ignore it. Pastor G. Campbell Morgan once said:
Men of faith are always the men who have to confront problems. (Emphasis added, PMG)
Habakkuk sees what is going on and sees the oracle from God and prays. He reminds us that prayer is always a good thing. It is good and right to bring our concerns to the LORD. I read that by 1815 Americans had over 1400 calls to prayer in various levels of civil government.
John Hancock even authorized twenty-two calls to prayer as Governor of Massachusetts. He knew that was a good beginning, but that there was more. He said:
“I urge by all that is dear, by all that is honorable, by all that is sacred, not only that ye pray, but that ye act.”
As Habakkuk begins his prayer, he accuses God of indifference. Notice verse 2 again:
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?
He acts like either God is blind to it or doesn’t care about it. Are we there? Do we feel like God is simply turning a blind eye to all of the evil that is happening in our culture and world? It can feel frustrating.
The prophet’s first cry was a cry for help. We can identify on a personal level, a church level, a community level and a national level. This is similar to disciples in Mark 4:38 (ESV) when they cried out in the storm, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
His second “cry” was a loud scream about the violence and injustice that he saw. His once godly society was falling apart. Habakkuk prayed about the sins of the people. He prayed that people would get stirred up to repent and resist evil but gets no answer. So, he asks: and you will not save?
He goes on in verses three and four to accuse God of inactivity with the nation. Then, in the rest of the chapter he accuses God of inconsistency. God told him He was going to use Babylon to correct the problems of Judah. Judah was bad, but Babylon was worse, how can God use them?
Sometimes God has to get our attention so we will see troublesome truths before He will act. Sometimes we have to hurt enough to want to change. Only then will we be willing to act with God to make changes.
Today we might ask God, “Why do you allow injustice?” He might respond, “Why do YOU allow injustice?” When we feel the pains of injustice we see the problems. Then we will rise up with God to correct them.
Let’s continue to Keep the Light of God’s Wow Burning!