Words of Encouragement

[William Lang]

Words of Encouragement

 

 

^{Habakkuk 3:17}

 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
¹⁹ God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.

 

Habakkuk was perplexed. His faith was troubled and strained. He worshipped YHWH and looked upon Him to be the protector of Israel. And yet the Chaldeans were at the door ready to destroy and pillage the Promised Land and its people. So he challenges YHWH.

 

Habakkuk is a prophet in a land that has turned its back on God. They have forsaken the Sacred Covenant, resulting in the Law being paralyzed and justice being perverted. This is a recurring problem in Israel from the time of the judges into the time that Habakkuk is living. The people have supplanted God and turned to worship the idols of politics, wealth and power. The time to pay the price for their rebellion is upon them.

 

Reading through this short portion of Scripture you will find the call for answers to his bewilderment. Was not Israel chosen especially by God? Did God not promise protection and security? Why were these conquering hordes being unleashed upon the land? And most important why are the impending evil being visited upon the children of Israel?

 

But his questions are never really answered. Nor is he given understanding as to the why of history.

If you will mark the following verses, 2:1; 2:14; 2:20 as well as the verses quoted above you will find that the answer is in the person of the Almighty. One can only trust and be faithful to the Great I AM. In Him alone can we find salvation from the litany of woes and troubles of our world.

 

It sound simplistic and even irrational but those who enter into the Covenant of Faith must live in faith with the secure knowledge that God does work and gives a peace beyond our comprehension. Jesus explained that the Father in Heaven makes His sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust. So we all stand in the watch tower and rejoice in the Lord, taking joy and strength to rise above the evils of the world.

 

You see experience shows that when adversity strikes our reaction is to immediately start praying to have things changed in the manner to which they approve. But this might not be in accordance with the plans of God. For it is through adversity that our faith is made stronger and we emerge from the trials closer to God.

 

So we must stand at the watchtower and look not at the terrors below but rather to the Lord above to see the wonders of his love.

 

[Dr. Henry, President of the AOCI]

Pastor Lang.  Your post speaks to the very heart of matters of today.  I was blessed in reading your post and we should all rise above our circumstances with our eyes, hearts, and minds fixed on the one who provided the gift of them all.  The one who can provide peace beyond what the eye can see and the ear can hear.  our LORD will give us peace that the world cannot give and peace that the world cannot take away.  

God bless you, your family, and your wonderful ministry!  Very well done!  Blessing to you and yours.