In the Book of Habakkuk there is a prayer that seemingly could have been offered with today's headlines in mind. A prayer of despair.
"How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted." - Habukkuk 1:2-4
Doesn't that sound like a cry for the world we are living in today? The prophet goes on complaining in his prayer but then the Lord answers him with this little tease of something yet to come.
“Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." - Habakkuk 1:5
Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted." - Habukkuk 1:2-4
Doesn't that sound like a cry for the world we are living in today? The prophet goes on complaining in his prayer but then the Lord answers him with this little tease of something yet to come.
“Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." - Habakkuk 1:5
Although God was telling His prophet that He was going to be doing something back during that Old Testament time, I believe that God is also going to be doing something 'utterly amazing' in our day as well. And it's going to be happening soon. This is God speaking to Habakkuk:
"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 2:3
At the end of the book Habakkuk ultimately prays a prayer of thanksgiving. We should be praying this same prayer today as we watch the prophetic news unfold before us, and as we wait for The Lord.
"Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy." - Habakkuk 3:2
Charles Dickens once wrote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Today, I would like to modify those words in light of God's impending wrath on this fallen world.
"It was the worst of times, then it was the best of times."
Jesus has promised to return. He told us we would see 'signs' of His soon return. The signs are visible all around us now. Today. Can The Lord's return be far off?
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