Word: Habakkuk 1:1-5 (abridged)(NLT)
1 This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.
2 How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
3 Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
4 The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
5 The Lord replied,
“Look around at the nations;
look and be amazed!
For I am doing something in your own day,
something you wouldn’t believe
even if someone told you about it.
One Pew Research study summarized its findings that over decades, five topics consistently increased newspaper sales in America: war, weather, disaster, money, and crime. What is certainly one common thread in these five topics—and there might be others—is that each of these topics often generates fear! War, disaster, and crime seem obvious, but think about the weather: tornadoes and hurricanes, floods and blizzards? And what if the stock market crashes or our money runs out??
Even those who believe in the King of All Nations sometimes panic in the face of violence and destruction. This ancient prophet expressed the existential fear that we all recognize, but he had the courage to raise the question to the King himself: If you are in control, why are we surrounded by injustice and why does evil prevail? Why are we afraid?
As is often the case, when we want to look behind the curtain and see what the big picture is, the King’s response is, “Well, I’d tell you but you wouldn’t understand if I did.”
So it all comes back—as it always has and always will—to trust. How much do we trust the King of All Nations? Do we trust him to know what is going on? Do we trust that He has enough power to really be in control? Do we trust that He is good? Do we trust that He cares what happens?
Fear is the immediate consequence of having no one in control, being at the mercy of chaos. Don’t vote for fear. Fear is only a question. Trust the King of All Nations. That’s the only answer!
Prayer: Lord God, we stay glued to our TVs and the internet, looking for someone to trust, something to have confidence in, someone we can believe; we do this–and are still afraid. We as a nation are fearful because we no longer know, no longer trust that You are in control. Give us trusting eyes, O God, to be able to see what you are doing in our own times. Then help us to know that it is You we are seeing. Amen
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