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Central Lutheran Church - Elk River
Central Lutheran Church - Elk River
Wait a Minute... with Pastor Ryan Braley
Can questioning authority be an act of faith? Join us as we explore the intriguing lives of the minor prophets in our series, "The B-Sides," and discover how their bold actions communicated divine messages. Our spotlight this week is on Habakkuk, who, like his contemporaries, boldly questioned the justice of his time. We delve into the historical context of his era, contrasting it with Zechariah’s, to reveal how these brief yet powerful encounters with God shaped Israel's destiny. Through shocking tales, like Isaiah's symbolic three-year act, we show how these prophets were much more than mere fortune tellers.
Navigating the balance between independence and authority is a challenge in any relationship, whether with our parents or with God. Through a personal story about a father and his son, Logan, we discuss how wrestling with authority can signify engagement and passion. We draw parallels to our relationship with the divine, where expressing doubts or anger can deepen our faith and commitment. A poignant family story of loss illustrates how embracing and voicing anger can lead to transformative understanding and encounters with the divine, encouraging an honest dialogue with God.
Amidst life's challenges, how do we find hope and trust in unseen promises? Using Habakkuk’s patience as a guide, we tackle profound questions of justice and suffering and reflect on the uncomfortable yet faith-strengthening process of waiting for God's promises. We highlight the importance of reframing our questions in adversity, focusing on action and growth, and recognizing the divine presence in our struggles. Join us to learn how faith and resilience, inspired by the prophet Habakkuk, can guide us to find joy and strength in God's unwavering promises, even when life's circumstances seem beyond our control.
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Okay, we are in week two of our series called the B-Sides, and if you don't know what that even means, go back to last week and I explained. But it's the other side of the tape or the vinyl record where the most producers thought that the hits would not come from, but a bunch did. And the minor prophets are oftentimes maybe like the B-sides. Remember, there's two prophets, two types of prophets that we have labeled them. This, not the original writers, but there's about 15 prophets in Israel's story and there's some longer writings. Those are called major prophets and there's some shorter ones which are called minor prophets. So it doesn't have anything to do with their content, just like how long their writings were. So they're all incredible and in fact the prophets themselves are maybe more like B-sides and the minor prophets are so short and obscure. So we're going to dive into a bunch of these.
Speaker 1:The sermon title this morning is called Wait a Minute, wait a minute. Okay, so that's the sermon title this morning and we're talking about Habakkuk. Now, many people think when you think of a prophet, you think of, oh, a fortune teller. And in many cultures a prophet is a fortune teller. They predict the future, but not in Israel's story. The Israel prophets, or Israelite prophets, were more like men who had met with God and they had a divine encounter with God and his presence and it changed them. And then they were given a message to give to the people on behalf of God. So they become like a speaker or a voice box or voice piece for God, like a megaphone for God, and they would go on behalf of God and they would give these messages.
Speaker 1:Now, oftentimes they would do it by declaring things out loud or they would do these dramatic, theatrical stunts in front of the people in public. Like Isaiah this is my favorite one he was told by God to walk around naked for three years in front of people and he did it and it was a way of putting on display the humiliation of Israel's sin. Just him walking around naked, probably humiliating, I suppose, and so that's what he did. And then Ezekiel. God tells Ezekiel hey, lay down on your side for 390 days. And Ezekiel's like sure, god, I had nothing else going on this week, but I'll do that. And he does it and it's a way of putting on display, kind of the effects of Israel's sin. And then he also tells Ezekiel hey, make some food when you cook it. Cook it in public over human excrement and Ezekiel's like oh okay, but this is what they would do.
Speaker 1:They would perform these crazy stunts to get the people's attention. And that way too like, remember that the prophets themselves were giving the message, but they also themselves were the message, because the medium is always the message. So the things they said were important. How they did it, their personality, their temperament, that was all part of the thing, and so they might wear a sweatshirt on when they would do these things. So the medium is always the message.
Speaker 1:And the tragedy is that many of the Israel's kings and leaders didn't listen. They ignored these guys to their own peril. In fact, they started listening when things began to go like the prophet suggested they might go. Sometimes the prophet wouldn't predict the future. They would write about the future and say, hey, watch out, because if you don't do this, this might happen. And when those things began to take place, they were like, oh yeah, remember that crazy guy walking around naked. He said this would happen. Go find him. We should listen to him, you know. And so they would listen. But in the meantime, their writings sort of stand, even today, as like resistance literature in a time and place when there was like sort of chaos.
Speaker 1:So Habakkuk shows up. He's a different time period than Zechariah. Zechariah was last week. If you missed it, go back and listen. But here's a timeline just to kind of ground you and I think we'll show this every week just to kind of make sure you know where you're kind of at.
Speaker 1:So here's a brief history of the nation of Israel before Jesus. So around 1400, the Israelites remember the rescue out of Egypt under the Pharaoh. And so they come out of Egypt, they wander around for 40 years, then they go into the promised land. That was about 1400 BC, a long time ago, and then they become a flourishing nation. God tells them how to live I'll be your God, you're my people and they become this nation called Israel.
Speaker 1:Then, around 930, the nation of Israel splits in two and they sort of have two kings, two places of worship and the northern kingdom. They call it the northern kingdom or the kingdom of Israel, and then the southern kingdom is called the kingdom of Judah. So we get the word Jew from a Jew, a Jewish person. That's from the word Judah and Jerusalem. So Jerusalem's in the south, in the area of Judah, and in the northern part. Israel, you have that as well. It's up in the northern part of the country, but there are two kingdoms with different kings and places of worship, and so that happens in 930.
Speaker 1:And in 586, the southern kingdom of Jerusalem falls and the Babylonians come in. Babylon was this evil empire to the east. They were the enemy in all kinds of ways. The word pagan is used a lot for Babylon and they come and they destroy the temple. They have no sense of the sacred, they demolish it, they don't even care. And the Jews are distraught, the people of Judah, they're distraught. Their whole lives, their economic hub, their worship hub, the house of God, was ravaged the ground. Then they're taken into captivity.
Speaker 1:We call this exile. Exile is when you're far from home, you're far from your land, far from your God. This is the story of the Bible. In Genesis, adam and Eve are exiled from the garden, and so we all experience this exile. By the way, when Jesus shows up, all the signs indicate that, even though they have come back to the land, they're still in exile. But it's a different exile, and so many of us would consider ourselves today people of exile, not in this geographical way, but in other ways Anyway. So but at around 530, they begin to trickle back under. This Persian king allows them to come back to Jerusalem and to rebuild. And so that's when Zechariah last week was prophesying. He was helping encourage them rebuild the temple. I know things look bleak, but keep going. They rebuild the wall around Jerusalem and they become a city again.
Speaker 1:Now, today, habakkuk comes before. So he's way before, he's before the fall of Jerusalem. He's around 600, 609, or rather 609, 600 BC. And so he comes along. Maybe he's a contemporary of Jeremiah's, probably the end of the reign of Josiah, king Josiah, if you know your Bible trivia, and right at the front end of Jehoakim, and jumping Jehoakim, I like to call him, and that's where he's prophesying. So he's right before all the drama erupts. You know, like the tea is brewing, did I say that? Right, the tea is brewing and things are about to go crazy, but not yet. And so he kind of warns them of what's coming.
Speaker 1:Here's an outline for all of you type A I have to know what's going on. What's Ryan talking about? I need order in my life. This is for you. So number one. Here's Habakkuk in five parts. Part one Habakkuk complains. Part two God answers. This is my whole sermon outline too. Part three Habakkuk complains again. Sheesh, habakkuk, get a grip. Part four you guys are a tough crowd this morning. Very little interaction this morning. I'm going to keep on going Hand to the plow. Number four God answers again. And then number five, of course dear, are you ready? Thank you, okay, tina's ready. So Habakkuk comes onto the scene and here's what he does.
Speaker 1:Most prophets were a voice for God. This one, it's flipped. Habakkuk comes to God on behalf of the people. He's got a complaint, an accusation, an indictment. Habakkuk is angry, he's upset and he wants God to know it. And he asks God for an answer. And he demands God to answer him because he's angry and he's upset and he wants to know what to make of all this stuff that's going on. And so, as you just heard, the reader read sort of the beginning of this Habakkuk goes to God with a complaint and God responds right away.
Speaker 1:He says boy, if you talk to me like that, again I'm taking your cell phone. Just kidding. God doesn't say that. That's what I would have said. Boy, don't you know who you're talking to? You better watch yourself, tread lightly, Give me that cell phone. But he doesn't. Why doesn't God get mad at Habakkuk? I mean, habakkuk is like unfiltered in his blaming and indicting and accusing of God and God allowing injustice to be rampant. Well, here's why, I think, because Habakkuk isn't alone.
Speaker 1:Habakkuk joins this long story in Israel's history of people who come to God in this way and complain to God. I have a list of them just to prove to you my case. Job complains to God about perceived injustice done to Job. If you know Job's story, job has a point. Job loses everything and he blames God. What the heck, god? How about this guy?
Speaker 1:So Moses is like God. Your people are suffering under the Egyptian rule. Do something, rescue them. Why are you taking so long, god? He goes to God with this anger, frustration and questions, and God allows him.
Speaker 1:How about this one? David, of course, cries out my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? He wants to know why God has forsaken him. And he also says why do you let my enemies champion and triumph over me, god? Why would you let those people, the pagans, champion over me? I'm a righteous man, why, god?
Speaker 1:Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, who's a contemporary of Habakkuk. He also complains to God about the suffering of the people of Jerusalem. The people are suffering, do something, god. He's weeping over it and he's crying Jonah. Of course I love Jonah, because Jonah unashamedly cries out to God about his injustice towards the Ninevites. Nineveh were the enemies of God's people and Jonah wants destruction to be rained down on Nineveh. And God gives him grace and forgiveness and mercy. And Jonah's ticked about it. How can you give them grace, make them suffer. They deserve it. And God's like you don't even know, dude. But, by the way, my dad used to always tell me when I was growing up hey, have grace on others, because one day you'll want it in return. That's not a bad way to live life Like have grace for others because you want grace when you mess up. But Jonah doesn't want grace, he wants destruction. Asaph, the same thing.
Speaker 1:How about this one? Lamentations, the book of Lamentations, a whole book dedicated to the people. We don't know really who wrote it, but the one who wrote it is crying out to God, lamenting that God is allowing suffering to take place. Then, of course, you have Jesus who, on the cross, quotes David and says to God my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Interesting that God himself experiences God-forsakenness, isn't it?
Speaker 1:I'm talking to a friend of mine who was talking to a Muslim and he was like I don't get your Christian religion. Your God dies. And I said that's why I love the Christian tradition, because God isn't immune to our suffering, even our death. This is the crucified God in this story. I love that. It's what I find so compelling about it.
Speaker 1:So Habakkuk is not alone. He joins this tradition, this history of people who come to God and, in honest and raw ways, offer their communications to God and want answers and response their struggles, their doubts, their strife, their anguish. They bring these communications to God and want answers and response. Their struggles, their doubts, their strife, their anguish. They bring these things to God. It's a recurring theme all throughout scriptures which raises the question why is it in there? Why does God allow this? Why does God just allow people to be flippant, apparently, and just sort of indict God or be angry at God? This is the divine God. You better watch who you're talking to, habakkuk, right?
Speaker 1:I remember a couple years ago, my son, logan was 13. And maybe if you've had a 13-year-old or ever around them, maybe you know this to be true. But he was 13 years old and we began to have a little bit of this going on. You know, and my son, logan. He's pretty mild-mannered but all of a sudden he became like somebody else's child. I was like what's your problem, dude? And I began to think about it and talk with my wife about it. I'm like what is going on?
Speaker 1:And I realized I think in some ways Logan was trying to stretch his legs a bit. He's 13. He's going on 18. And he's trying to be a bit of a man. He's almost going to be a man. He's not quite there yet. For now, I'm the man and he's in my house. He's trying to be his own man. Oh, this is actually probably a good thing. He wants to be independent, he wants to have his maturity and have his own voice, and so, if I'm the man and he's trying to be the man, there's gonna be a little bit of this going on. So I pulled him aside. Go hey, dude. Uh, maybe you've noticed we've been kind of, we've had some friction. He's like yeah, we'll stop it. So I said I think it's this and I explained it.
Speaker 1:I go here's the deal. I don't want a robot for a son. I want you to mature and to grow and learn how to have your own voice and to stretch your legs out a little bit and become a man. It's my job. I got to kick you out of the nest here pretty soon. You got to be ready for that. I don't want a one-sided authoritarian relationship. You got to have some independence. So I got to back off a little bit and allow you to question and maybe argue a little bit. We got to respect each other. But I want you to argue a little bit and push back and we can negotiate and you can ask for later bedtimes or these kind of things. But also, if you overstep, I'm going to pull. You know, because I didn't want to have a dictatorship in my house. I wanted him to grow up, to become a man and be flourishing, and he is as an adult.
Speaker 1:I think God's the same way. I don't think God wants some authoritarian dictatorship in this world. He could have had that. God wants collaborators, god wants partners. He wants a two-sided covenant. That's what it is. You guys do this, I'll do this and we'll kind of and God seems to invite people to wrestle with him and to engage and to kind of go at it and to like have a skin in the game, because God doesn't want robots, god wants partners. And that way then, god isn't insecure. It doesn't seem like it. With our questions or our doubts, or our anger or our indictments or our accusations, god doesn't. He's not like. I can't believe you. He's God, he's going to be fine, he can handle your stuff. He knows you already feel like this or think it anyway. Are you with me? So God isn't insecure, and here's why I think God likes it, because at least you're in the game, at least you're showing up, at least you have some fight and some passion.
Speaker 1:Good friend of mine, him and his wife, their marriage almost imploded. It was years ago and they had this incredible, this horrific thing happen and he was extremely angry at her. And he goes to their counselor they're trying to work through it. And he goes to his counselor and he's like I'm so mad at her. She wasn't there, it was just him and the counselor. I'm so mad at her, I'm so angry at her, and it was a hurdle for him. It was like a wall. And the counselor goes in good, that's good, good, good. What do you mean? Good? He's like well, this isn't really a wall, it's more of a door, because your anger suggests you still have some fight and some vigor and some passion. You're still in it.
Speaker 1:The opposite of love is not anger or hate, it's actually indifference. When you check out and you got nothing no more passion you're just like. That's the problem. So God doesn't mind the wrestling, because at least it shows you're in the game. In fact, I would say this Habakkuk's complaints, like our complaints, are actually an act of faith, because he's saying God, I know you're better than this and for some reason things are not how you want them to be. Fix it. You're the one that can fix it. Do something about it. And he's engaging, he's wrestling, he's struggling, he's got a skin in the game. He's still showing up. He's got some passion. He hasn't checked out yet. Perhaps it's worse, he's just like. I don't even know, I'm just going to. So I think our an expression of faith in God.
Speaker 1:Maybe you today need to write a complaint to God or write down your anger at God or get it out, do something with it. I sat with a family a while ago and they lost a loved one to suicide and they were just questioning all the things and one of the brother was like I can't believe in God anymore. I'm just I'm out because I'm so angry at God and he goes. What should I do? And I said I would keep going. I would go down that rabbit hole of anger and just go down there, man, and see what's down there, and go out tonight and shake your fist at the moon and yell at the clouds and scream to the sky and do it all. Just go, go way down in there and see what you find down there, because the opposite is just to check out it doesn't. So go down there and see what's down there, and see who's down there. You just might meet God down there. And so maybe you're here today and that's what you need to do. Just sort of hash things out with God and wrestle with God and yell at the clouds a little bit. That's okay, god can handle it. In fact he might invite you to do that.
Speaker 1:So Habakkuk comes to God with his first complaint, just the first one. He's just getting warmed up and it has everything to do with mishpat, sam's favorite word, mishpat, which is the word for justice. So Habakkuk is not just complaining about. Oh God, why didn't you give me that front row parking spot at Target last Friday when I was shopping. Oh God, the line at Chipotle is so long I can't believe the injustice of the world. This is terrible. Oh God, the drums were so loud this morning at worship. No, he's complaining about the ordering of the world. Mishpat, it's this Hebrew word. It means justice.
Speaker 1:Go back to the Lord's Prayer sermon, and justice is this idea of how god has ordered the house. It's a proper ordering. Things go in certain places, people behave in certain ways and there's a proper ordering. And the ordering of the world is out of whack. So habakkuk says I've not seen any justice being done here in jerusalem, that things are out of whack and the result is chaos and disorder and strife. So this is what he says.
Speaker 1:He says this to God. He says to God go ahead for me, sam. He says how long, oh Lord, how long must I call for help? You don't even listen to me, god. What the heck Can you even hear me? I'm talking to myself, or what? How long do I have to cry out to you violence, but you don't save me or anybody? Why are you letting this go on? Why do you make me look like an injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoings, destruction, violence, for all around me there's strife, conflict, the law is paralyzed and justice or this word mishpat never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
Speaker 1:How long, oh God? I cried this last night when I was leaving a softball game down in Blaine at seven o'clock at night and it was 3 degrees and the winds came up. Why, oh Lord? Why wind? It's already cold. Why is it so windy? The wind is from the devil. I rebuke you wind. I mean, who likes wind? But kite flyers and sailors. God, stinking wind. Why, why, god? How long, oh God. I love that he cries out this to God. How long? Now God responds I'll get there in a minute but God doesn't answer this question. He responds but doesn't ever tell him why. And I've learned that.
Speaker 1:Why is a complex question? Because here's the deal. Why does any one thing happen in life? There's a million reasons that. Why is a complex question? Because here's the deal. Why does any one thing happen in life? There's a million reasons. Why are you here today? If I were to ask you that? Oh, because my mom made me come.
Speaker 1:Why do you have a mom? Oh, because she had. Her. Parents were in love. Why do they exist? Why do you have a car. Why do cars? You know you can go down the rabbit hole of why, and there's a million reasons why anything happens. Why did you wear that color shirt today? I like blue, I like Gustavus, well, but you know, there's like an infinite number of reasons why anything happens. It's a complex place the world is, with intervening intertangled web, it's like there's so many things that contribute and it's really complicated.
Speaker 1:And also, I don't think, if you knew the answer why it would fix anything. Why did I lose my loved one? Why did they die at such a young age? Well, if you knew that it doesn't bring them back. So even knowing why doesn't change it. Why did I get this diagnosis? Even if God told you why it wouldn't change the diagnosis? Why are things not how I want them to be? This is the one I like to ask. Well, if I knew why, it doesn't change how things actually are. So why? Is a tough question to ask, and I don't think that you get answers very much when you ask why.
Speaker 1:Instead, maybe a more interesting question are these ones? How, how can I move forward now? How can I bear the weight of this burden, this suffering? It's very much a part of the world, it seems like in life. How can I deal with dignity and honor and how can I not lose my faith? How can I wrestle and fight with God in the middle of all this, or what? What are my next steps? What can I do now? What should I do next? What's God have for me in this? What is the response to suffering? These are more interesting questions. Maybe you can even ask who? Who's with me in this. Look around, who's here, who can I be there for when they're having suffering and anger and issues, and who's with me in this battle? These are better questions probably to ask, because the question of why is a tough one. It's hard to know why, why anything happens, and we don't always know the answer to that question.
Speaker 1:So God responds, though. I love this, that God responds to his cries of injustice and God responds, which I love it because God hears him. So God's response is like hey, habakkuk, I hear you and I'm going to respond. You can go to black for me, Sam. And he does respond. He doesn't tell him why, but he responds, which means that God hears him. God hears the cries of his people. It's a theme over and over again in the Bible. God hears your cries. He does hear you and he's present with you in them. In fact, I think he's most present sometimes in these moments. So the psalmist writes this in Psalm 34, because the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and he saves those who are crushed in spirit. If that's you today, then know that God is with you and God hears you.
Speaker 1:God hears the cries of the people and God's going to do something about the injustice, but not what Habakkuk expects. So here's God's response. He's like okay, habakkuk, I hear you, I'm going to do something about it. In fact, look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed what I'm going to do in response to your request. I'm going to do something amazing, habakkuk. I'm going to do something for you and your days that you would not believe, even if you were told I I'm going to give you a Lamborghini. This is often how this verse is preached. You wouldn't even know if I told you. It's going to be amazing, you're going to love it, it's going to be great. No, what God is going to do makes Habakkuk even more tick-tock, because here's what God's going to do God is going to use the Babylonians to bring justice.
Speaker 1:You've got to be kidding me. This is like adding insult to injury. The Babylonians are pagan neighbors whose military aggression is well known in the region, whose oppressive rule and regime is infringing on our freedoms a lot of time, the ones who actually eventually will take us into exile, and the people they're idolatrous people. You're going to use the Babylonians. This is like ridiculous an idea for God. This is like if God were to bring judgment on Minnesota and he would use, I don't know, wisconsin to do so. That would be crazy. Any Wisconsin reason Okay, sorry, okay, sorry, don't worry, I'm kidding. It'd be like New Jersey. If God used New Jersey to just, oh, you're like, yeah, amen, amen, and New Jersey. Okay, I'm kidding, you don't get the point.
Speaker 1:Like why would God use the Babylonians? Like they're worse than Judah? Like what are you doing, god? It's amazing, though, like God can use even evil, evil things, evil people, to accomplish his plans and his purposes. God is so wise, he can do that if God wants to. I don't know why he would do that. Neither does Habakkuk, but God can do it if he wants to, and he'll do it, and it's almost like Habakkuk can't quite see yet. So Habakkuk's like this is ridiculous.
Speaker 1:This is what he says to him. I think right, sam. He says hey, your eyes are too pure, god, to look on evil. You can't tolerate wrongdoing. Why then would you tolerate this treacherous behavior? Why would you let the Babylonians come in? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up the more righteous, like we're more righteous than the Babylonians? Why would you do this? And he said I want an answer, god. So this is his second complaint. And then he says this to kind of cap off his complaint. He said okay, god, go ahead for me, sam, I'll stand here and take my watch. I'm going to station myself right here in the tower and look forward to see what you will say to me. In other words, I'm waiting, god. I'm waiting. You better tell me something good, god, because I don't know what you're doing. I am waiting, god. I've noticed this too.
Speaker 1:The way I see the world is often like this, you know, Like if you look down this Delorod, it's like a circle, right, that's what you see. You see this dot. This is how we see the world. And Habakkuk is looking at this moment. Like what are you doing, god? Like the Babylonians, I can't believe. This is injustice, but God doesn't see the world like that. God sees the world like this and even like this, and God can see all of it and take all of it in. He knows the things Habakkuk doesn't know, and he's on top of it, and sometimes he's underneath it and he can see all of it. And so it's like Habakkuk has this tiny little perspective on life, like we do sometimes. And, fair enough, we're limited human beings, this is all we see. And God's up there, like he can see all of it.
Speaker 1:And Habakkuk, though, is saying I'm going to wait for an answer. There's another, I think, expression of his faith. I'm waiting to wait for an answer. There's another, I think, expression of his faith. I'm waiting. God, I know you'll answer me, I know you have a reason, so help me understand it. And then God does so.
Speaker 1:God's final response he begins to share a bit of this with Habakkuk the things that we can't see says, hey, I'm going to give you a vision, a revelation. I'm going to pull back the curtain and show you a couple things and write it down, make it plain, so when you give it to a messenger, they can remember it and write it down and run with it, for still, the vision awaits its time. So it's not going to come yet. It'll be here soon. It speaks of the end and it won't lie, it's not going to, it'll happen. And if it seems slow, wait for it, it will surely come. It won't delay. That's his response. And then he says this about Babylon. He says, hey, don't worry about them, I'll take care of Babylon. I see them. I see their wickedness. I know Habakkuk, settle down, I got it. I can see them. He says behold, those whose soul is puffed up shall fail. I'll handle Babylon.
Speaker 1:It's like my kids when they're little, not the ones here present today, but the other ones. They'd be getting in trouble and they would say to me why am I the only one who gets in trouble? You never yell at the other three, never. Yes, I do. How would you even know? You have no idea. I don't announce to the family.
Speaker 1:And now, attention, everybody. Scarlett is in trouble. Just so we're all aware. It's fair and equitable here. Are you guys? Good, you three? Okay, you approve of this? Okay, good, now it's Gavin's turn to be in trouble. Just so we're all aware. No, don't tell them that.
Speaker 1:So they sometimes have a view of the world like this. You know what I'm saying they don't know. And God is like buddy, I see it, I got it, don't worry about it, I'm going to use them because I got to use them anyway, and I'm going to take care of you and take care of them and I'll punish them because they're wicked. I saw it, I didn't slip them past the goalie. And God tells him that he's going to take care of things. Then he gives him this vision and he tells him this vision. I'm going to show you how things will pan out and that things in the end. We don't know what the vision is, but it's like this picture of redemption, like that God will redeem things, he'll make things right again and for Habakkuk it's as clear as if it was right there in present moment and he's like write it down. It's not here yet, but it will come. So in the meantime, the interim time, hang on, hold tight, keep the faith and write this down. So when days are long and tough and there's struggle and tension and you're angry, I get it and I welcome the rustling, but don't forget what I promised you.
Speaker 1:But it's important to remember too the things that God did and did not promise us. God didn't promise us that life would be roses and sunshines and butterflies. He never promises that. He never promised that I would indeed get a Porsche, a 911, twin turbo, fine. He doesn't promise that. He promises things like hey, I'm not going to leave you or forsake you. You're my beloved, you belong to me, I'll be with you. I hear your cries. I will redeem things. I promise you. I'll redeem and renew all things. I will anakephaliosify all things. I'll rewrite them. I see all things. I'm in charge, I'm wise, I'm good. Those are the promises that we can cling to in these times. Write it down, it'll deepen your faith. Hold tight to those and remind yourself and wait for it.
Speaker 1:Now, if you're like me, I hate to wait. Waiting is awful because I'm not in control. I begin to doubt. There's uncertainty Waiting. You know it's just an uncomfortable waiting. You know it's just an uncomfortable, boring feeling. I hate to wait. And time seems elastic when you're waiting, doesn't it?
Speaker 1:You're in an elevator, you're in a hurry, you're getting hit the eight floor button. Just wait. Takes three days to get the floor number four, and then some chatterbox gets on the elevator with you. I gotta talk to this guy. And then it takes four more days to get to level eight. Finally, give me a Right.
Speaker 1:Waiting is horrible, but it's how God wants to shape and form Habakkuk and he's gonna give him this, but he's got the vision. So wait. It'll deepen your faith. And remember when things don't look good, remember this. When the house is on fire around you, remember my promises. When things look like I can't hear you or I've abandoned you, I haven't Remember my promises, I'm here Now. Here's what it means, though probably Sometimes God answers us and answers our prayers right now, and you get this prayer.
Speaker 1:You can get it right away. Sometimes there are things you have to wait for. You gotta wait. You wait patiently and you remind yourself the promises of God and that he told me this and it will be all right. You try to encourage yourself and you wait for it and the vision. It will come. And sometimes, unfortunately, there are things that you have to really wait for and that we may not see on this side of eternity, and we have to wait until the end of things or the end of days, or when God renews all things, and that's a promise too. So we wait really a long time. Sometimes it's part of it, it's part of the faith, but in the meantime, don't lose hope. Wrestle, struggle, argue, show up, keep your hat in the ring, keep going. Remember that's God's response to Habakkuk. And then Habakkuk closes with the prayer. This is the final conclusion. All right, god, I got you. Thanks for this wrestling match. I appreciate it. I will wait patiently. I will.
Speaker 1:Though the fig tree does not blossom, will, though the fig tree does not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food. Remember, habakkuk's going to go into exile very shortly. So, hey, even though all this stuff is falling apart and the flock is cut off from the fold and there'll be no herd in the stall yet, I will rejoice in you, my Lord, I will joy in you, my salvation, because even though things are falling apart, god is a sustainer. Even though things don't make sense, god is his joy. Even though things aren't working out how I want them to go or to be, god promised me X, y and Z. I'm going to hold on to that. My hope is not in the things around me, in the vines, or the herd, or the flocks, or the wealth or the things. It's in God, in God alone, and I trust that he sees me and sees all things and I can trust in him because he's good. So I'll wait. I'll wait, god, and I'll claim your promises. And then Habakkuk says this about deer the sovereign Lord is my strength, he makes my feet like the feet of a deer and he enables me to tread on heights.
Speaker 1:Now, maybe you've never seen a deer run on a mountain, but in Israel they have these sheer cliffs. Deer are agile. I got a video of some deer running on the cliffs over in the Middle East. Ha, that's you. That's you. That's actually unbelievable. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Somehow, the rustling, the arguing, the rankling it makes your feet like that, like the feet of a deer. You're going to be all right, central. May you know that God hears your cries. He's heard them, he's with you. That God hears your cries, he's heard them, he's with you. He's working things out. It might take time. You can't see everything, but he's good. He promises certain things. It might tarry, it might take time, but he will fulfill his promises to you, whether now or in some years, or when God redeems and renews the whole world. He will do that he promises. And in the meantime, may your faith get deeper. May you stay in the game. May your feet indeed be like the feet of a deer, amen.
