Quote for the Day
“Look…and be utterly amazed…I am going to do something…that you would not believe…”
Today's Prayer
This week pray that those traveling will hear the words of God. Pray that the daily violence and terror seen on TV and heard on the radio can be understood in the context of God’s sovereign control of our lives. Pray for those at home that God will give them the comfort of His peace as their family is away.
Habakkuk 1:5-11
Habakkuk 1:5-11 (NIV)5 “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.6 I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own.7 They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor.8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like a vulture swooping to devour;9 they all come bent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand.10 They deride kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; they build earthen ramps and capture them.11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on— guilty men, whose own strength is their god.”
Message
With these words from God Almighty, it is time to put on the seat belts and be ready for anything. That is exactly what happens: something utterly amazing. God answers Habakkuk’s prayer to provide justice to those people in his nation who are not obeying the Law. God tells Habakkuk that He intends to raise up another nation (the Babylonians, “…ruthless and impetuous people…”) to carry out His justice. God Himself describes them in verse 11 as, “…guilty men, whose own strength is their god.” This is a tough passage to read for most of us. We tend to see God as one who has very neat and clean ways to carry out His justice. To know that He uses methods beyond our understanding is somewhat disturbing to us. As we continue in Habakkuk we will see the final answer from God, but it is important to point out that He knows how tough it will be for us to accept this response from Him. Look again at verse 5, as God says, “For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Are you listening to God this week? Or to the many other voices that are whispering (and yelling) in your ears (and eyes)?