Eric Bechler's sermon titled 'The Just Shall Live by His Faith' explores the book of Habakkuk, a minor prophet preceding the fall of Jerusalem. Habakkuk questions God's seeming indifference to Judah's wickedness and the delayed judgment. God responds by revealing His plans to use the Chaldeans to discipline Judah, surprising Habakkuk due to their greater wickedness. The sermon outlines the five woes pronounced against Babylon and emphasizes the sovereignty of God, who uses even wicked nations to fulfill His purposes. Habakkuk's journey from doubt to faith underscores the need for patience and trust in God's timing. Christians are encouraged to pray, seek divine answers, and keep a journal of God's responses to remain steadfast in faith amidst adversity.

We've been going through the book of Lamentations, the Lamentations of Jeremiah. We finished chapter four last, and these were four chapters of Lamentations and grief. And the fifth chapter was more a poem of a prayer. And I want to take this moment before we jump into that to take a look at the book of Habakkuk. Short diversion, the book of Habakkuk takes place prior to the fall of Jerusalem, prior to the judgment that was passed upon Judah.

It's one of the 12 minor prophets at the end of the Old Testament. These minor prophets are noted as such not because they are insignificant or mean less, less important rather the text, the actual text for each of these minor prophets are much shorter, especially when we compare them to Jeremiah or Isaiah. All 12 were originally written together on a single scroll. Most of Jeremiah's ministry was to warn the people of Judah of the coming judgment, but he also was there to witness firsthand what God did and to write about it in his lamentations. Habakkuk wondered if the judgment would ever come.

We'll see that God revealed not only how this judgment was to be carried out, but also that it would be soon. This morning we'll be reading through the whole book of Habakkuk, so this will be more of an overview rather than verse by verse digging. When we think of prophets, we think of chosen men who receive a message from God and communicate it to a group of people. For example, Jonah being sent to call the Ninevites to repentance. In Habakkuk, we see him not only carrying God's message to the people, but also carrying the people's message to God.

Very little is known about Habakkuk, such as where he's from, his lineage, his occupation, or even a specific timeframe. It's difficult to nail down. There's disagreements there in that time period. The possible date range is anywhere between 600 and 650 BC, which places him somewhere either in the reign of Manasseh, Josiah, or Jehoiakim. A number of the commentaries that I looked at preferred Jehoiakim during Jehoiakim's reign that Habakkuk prophesied.

And to give you a feel for what was going on in that timeframe, just to some context, here's some highlights with dates that was going on in 931 BC. Israel broke into a northern kingdom with 10 tribes and Judah, which include Benjamin. 722, Assyria captures the northern kingdom and exiles them. In 609, Nebuchadnezzar takes the first group of exiles to Babylon. This includes Daniel and his peers and the vessels of the temple.

In 586, we have the fall of Jerusalem. The temple was destroyed and Judah was exiled. In 539, Babylon falls to the Medo-Persian Empire led by King Cyrus II. In 516, the temple was rebuilt and in 430, Judah was restored. So somewhere in between the Assyrians capturing the Northern Kingdom and the fall of Jerusalem, Habakkuk is going to have his ministry.

We also see that he was actually a contemporary to Jeremiah. In summary chapters one and two relate to a dialogue between Habakkuk and God about the wickedness he sees around him. Chapter three contains a prayer in the form of a song in response to that dialogue. So let's begin. I'll read Habakkuk chapter 1 verses 1 through 4.

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see, O Lord, how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry out unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save why dost thou shoo me in equity and cause me to behold grievance for spoiling and violence are before me and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth, for the wicked doth compass about the righteous. Therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." It's a strange beginning here in verse one, the burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. However it's not unique. We immediately get a clue as to the tone for what we'll hear from Habakkuk and from God.

The Hebrew word for burden is messah, is applied to divine oracles that were negative, proclamations of judgment. Isaiah, Nechum, Zechariah, and Malachi also use this term burden for judgments on cities and nations. This book is Habakkuk's oracle. It's his burdensome message. In verses two through four, Habakkuk complains to God.

He has two major questions. Why is God indifferent to supplication? How long shall I cry that will not hear? He's filled with emotion. Habakkuk is having trouble waiting for God's time.

He sees the wickedness and violence in the people of Judah, but no justice. Fundamentally, he doesn't trust God. He complains that God doesn't hear. He doesn't act. The law is silence.

Where is the punishment that should be coming? Then the second complaint is why is God insensitive to sin and suffering? The wicked does compass about the righteous and yet judgment doth never go forth. This is exactly how many Christians feel today. Our society has become so wicked and perverse.

Over 50 years of killing babies, possibly a hundred million or so slaughtered through abortion. What was the Lord's response to just one person, Abel. And the Lord said to Cain, what hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. In Genesis 410.

What do you suppose that cry sounds like from 80 to 100 million babies? I bet it's pretty loud. What do we hear from the martyrs? And they cried with a loud voice saying, how long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on earth? Revelation 6 10.

Yet there is up until now no judgment. The perverse sodomites are becoming more accepted and considered more normal in our society instead of being an abomination. They're elevated and placed in leadership positions and still no judgment. Oh Lord, how long shall we cry? Transgenderism is a perversion growing in our society.

Hormone therapies and forced surgeries on our children. What's next? How bad can this get? The psalmist proclaims, Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? Reading further, we see that God responds to Habakkuk in verses 5 through 11.

Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously, for I will work a work in your days, which you will not believe though it be told you. For lo, I am raised up, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful. Their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. Their horses also are swifter than the leopards and are more fierce than the evening wolves, and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far.

They shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. They shall come all for violence. Their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. And they shall scoff at the kings and the princes shall be a scorn unto them. They shall deride every stronghold, for they shall heap dust and take it.

Then shall his mind change and he shall pass over and offend imputing his power unto his God." In these verses God responds to Habakkuk's complaints in two ways. The first is by revealing God's intention of discipline. God gives a back assurance that he will discipline Judah. Discipline them in a very violent and overwhelming manner in a way that will shock a back. He says, for I will work a work in your days, which you will not believe, though it be told of you.

Isn't this always the case? We don't think judgment will come upon us. We won't be caught. We won't be punished. Think of the time Noah before the flood the people lived their lives and about the time of Sodom and Gomorrah the destruction of Jerusalem is coming and it's coming soon God says in your days.

The second is by disclosing the instrument of his discipline. God will raise up the Chaldeans to be a world power conquering Nineveh, Egypt and Jerusalem. Vivid language is here used here regarding this nation and their means of judgment. A bitter and hasty nation, terrible and dreadful, more fierce than the evening wolves. God will use the Babylonians to punish Judah, to remove them from the land for a time.

And God can do as he pleases. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

For he saith unto Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Romans 9, 13 through 15 and 17. Not only will God raise up the Chaldeans, He will also bring judgment upon them. From verse 11, it is foreseen that the Chaldeans will become proud and haughty, claiming their own strength as their God, and this will lead to their eventual fall.

And we were all familiar with the passage, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Oh how true this is. Now we come back to Habakkuk's responses to what God has told him in verses 12 through 17. Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One. We shall not die, O Lord.

Thou hast ordained them for judgment, and O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art a purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. Wherefore looketh thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he. And maketh men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler over them. They take up all of them with the angle.

They catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense into their drag, because by them their position is fat and their meat plenteous. Their portion is fat and their meat is plenteous. Shall they therefore empty their net and not spare continually to slay the nations.

In this section, Habakkuk starts by acknowledging that God, the holy and everlasting God, is sovereign over all things. He expresses faith that the discipline that Judah faces will not lead to their complete extermination but only captivity for we shall not die. Back at the beginning of chapter 1, Habakkuk was troubled by the wickedness around him in Judah and the lack of any judgment by God. He was asking now, he was asking how long will it be before Judah is punished and God answered soon it will be in your days. But then when God explains how he will punish Judah, Habakkuk has got some issues.

He questions God on the instrument to be used. Why do it this way? Habakkuk understands the character of God. Why would a holy and pure God employ a terribly wicked people, the Chaldeans, to punish Judah? For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion had a light with darkness?

2nd Corinthians 6 14. And how can you, a just God, hold your tongue while the most vile and wicked are punishing those more righteous than themselves? The wickedness of Judah here was dwarfed by the atrocities committed by the Babylonians. Yet Judah was the one being corrected. Why would God endorse a people of injustice?

Babylon caught cities and nations like a fisherman catches fish and had little regard for those caught, just as a fisherman has little if any regard of what he catches, other than what he can get for them. Why would God excuse a people of idolatry who sacrifice unto their net and burn incense unto their drag. Again God is sovereign. He can use evil men or nations who have evil intentions to fulfill His plans. Their plans may be wicked, but the Lord's intent is always pure and holy and good.

Remember Joseph's words to his brothers after their father Jacob died, But as for you, ye thought evil against me. But God meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day, to save much people alive." Genesis 50-20. God is not blind to the wickedness of his instruments, nor will he forget to punish or judge them for their own evil deeds. How do you handle a crisis in your own life? Do you withdraw from the church and from the fellowship of other believers?

Do you try to handle it all by yourself? Do you even give up on God altogether? I would encourage you to start with prayer. Focus on the attributes of God and who He is. Know that He does all things for His glory and for the good of His people.

And then be still and wait for God to show you what he is doing. Seek other believers to share your burden, to join you in prayer, and to walk beside you. Moving on to chapter 2, Habakkuk continues his response in chapter 2 verses 1 through 6A. I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower and watch to see what he will say unto me and what I shall answer when I am reproved and what I shall answer when I'm reproved. And the Lord answered me and said, write the vision and make it plain upon the tables that he may run that readeth it.

For the vision is yet for appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith. Yea, also because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man. Neither keepeth at home who enlarges his desire as hell, and is as death and cannot be satisfied.

But gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples. Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say? These are really good points here in verse one. I will stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower to watch and see what he will say to me. Habakkuk is going to watch.

He's going to wait. Think of the solitary soldier watching over the city at night on the watch tower at full attention, ready to sound the alarm. Habakkuk is watching to see what God will say to him, how he will answer his questions. He knows an answer is coming. He expects a response.

When we're seeking an answer from God, are we willing to wait? Are we willing to watch even through the night as on a tower? Are you expecting an answer as you pray? Habakkuk had a good attitude. He was willing to wait.

And he knew, he knew an answer would come. How was your attitude in praying? Are you impatient for a response? Are you ambivalent and do you even care? Are you even expecting God to answer your prayers or do you just move on?

The end of this first verse shows further the attitude of Habakkuk and attitude that he had toward God. I want you to notice what he says here. What I shall answer when I am reproved or what shall I answer when I am corrected? He expected God to correct him. He was asking God, God I don't understand what you're doing but I know your ways are perfect.

Your timing is perfect and you're always right. Please speak to me and correct me. Correct my understanding. When we are seeking to understand what God is doing in difficult situations, He may or may not give you an answer, but we should seek him. We should expect an answer, and we should watch for it.

I remember at my wedding, we had a cousin, a little guy about five years old. He was all dressed up. He was super cute. At the reception, he stole the show. He was dancing around by himself, occasionally with others.

It just was really cute. He's filled with fun and that carefree joy of life that you find in kids of that age. Not too long afterwards, maybe a year or so, he died. It was devastating. It was a total surprise to everybody.

For years, I prayed, why? Why, God? Why did you have to take this little boy? He was so young. I didn't understand.

It didn't make sense to me nor anybody else. After a long time I finally began to see an answer. Eventually I began to understand. First of all, God is sovereign and he loved this little boy. The second, his parents drew closer to the Lord and their faith since then has not wavered a bit.

His father even told us at some point that he actually believed that his son was an instrument from God used in his own salvation. It's like wow. We don't know the ways of God. We can pray and seek his answers. We don't always get answers quickly.

Sometimes it takes years, sometimes decades. But we should expect an answer, and we should pray. As we continue in our passage, the Lord answered Habakkuk. God answered him to first write down the vision so he could carry it to Judah, write it plainly on tablets so messengers could read it and take it out to the people. God reassures Habakkuk that this judgment would surely come, that there is an appointed time.

Judah must wait for it. He must wait for it. They must wait on God's time and trusting in his power and his wisdom. In verse 4 we find a familiar statement that's referenced three times in the New Testament. Romans 1, 17, Galatians 3, 11, and Hebrews 10, 38.

The just shall live by his faith. John Gill comments here, the most correct Hebrew copies unite the words by his faith to the just man so that they're to be read more correctly. The just by his faith, He shall live. That is, the man is just, not by the works of the law, but by faith in the righteousness of Christ. The rest of the chapter, verses 6 through 20, contains a series of woes, five of them.

The first one in verses 6 through 8. And shall bite thee and awake that shall vex thee and thou shall be for booties unto them. Because thou has spoiled many nations all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee because of men's blood and for the violence of the land of the city and of all that dwell therein. The woe here is upon lust of conquest and plunder. How long would Babylon be allowed to continue to plunder the nation?

God reveals that the remnant of people of each nation would eventually rise up and overthrow the Babylonians. Their time would come. Verses 9 through 11, woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil. Thou has consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people and has sinned against thy soul. For stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.

The woe here is upon plunder and injustice. Babylon conquered many nations and acquired great riches from them. They tried to build their nest high, inaccessible so that their empire would be free from harm or attack. In the process, many people were killed. Even if all the people had been killed, the stones and timbers of the houses would testify against Babylon for the atrocities it committed.

I'm reminded of a similar statement when Jesus entered Jerusalem recorded in the Gospel of Luke when Jesus responded to the Pharisees regarding the people's rejoicing and he answered and said unto them, I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Luke 19 40. In verses 12 through 13, woe to him that buildeth a town with blood and establishes city by iniquity. Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labor in the very fire and the people shall weary themselves for their vanity. For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The will hears upon building cities with blood.

The cities built in this way will not stand and those who build them will be destroyed with them. Babylon itself was a strong city, yet it did not last long, nor its people. Here, God also says that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. We see this in Isaiah 11, 9, almost word for word. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

In verses 15 through 18, woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunk and also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness. Thou art filled with shame for glory, drink thou also and let thy foreskin be uncovered. The cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto thee and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee and the spoil of beasts which made them afraid because of men's blood and for the violence of the land of that city and of all that dwell therein. What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it?

The molten image and a teacher of lies that the maker of his work trusted therein to make dumb idols. The will here is upon cruelty to kings and nations. Babylon claimed its glory by shaming those it conquered, by killing many, by destroying the land and the forests of Lebanon and its animals. The tables will be turned in the future I either the cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto thee This cup is the cup of fury, of wrath, that will be turned into Babylon, as foretold by Isaiah. Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which has drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury.

Thou has drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling and rung them out. There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth. Neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. These two things are common to thee, who shall be sorry for thee, desolation and destruction, and a famine and a sword, by whom shall I comfort thee? Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net.

They are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God. Therefore here now this thou afflicted and drunken, be not with wine, but not with wine. Thus saith the Lord, the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people behold I have taken out of the hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the cup of my fury thou shalt drink thou shalt no more drink it again but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee which have said to thy soul bow down that we may go over and thou has laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over this comes from Isaiah 51 17 through 23 Here we cannot but remember the drunken revelry in Daniel chapter five, with Belshazzar drinking from the golden vessels from the temple. And also the drunken escapade in Esther 1 with King Ahasuerus and Queen Vashti. Shame and death come and the cup of wrath is poured out on them.

The fifth woe here in verses 19 through 20, woe unto him that saith to the wood, awake, to the dumb statue arise. It shall teach, behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him. The woe here is on idolatry.

Verse 19 reminds us of the contest Elijah held with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. They took the bullock which was given them and they dressed it and they called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice nor any that answered and he leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them and said, cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is talking, or he's pursuing, or he's on a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened.

And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass when midday was past that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice that there was neither voice nor any answer nor any that regarded. 1 Kings 18 26 through 29. These idols are crafted. They're only objects and They're not gods.

They cannot speak. They cannot give guidance. They can do nothing. Finally we come to verse 20. We switch from the dumb idols to the holy, sovereign, living God.

The Lord is in his holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him. So the people of Judah stop doubting, stop complaining. God is not indifferent and God is not idle. In his perfect time, he will accomplish his divine purpose.

Be still and know that I am God. Zechariah 2.13. Finally, we move to the last chapter. Verse 1 and 2, a prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet of Shigionis. Oh Lord, I've heard thy speech and was afraid.

Oh Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years make known. In wrath remember mercy." Habakkuk responds to God. This first verse is similar to what we find in the Psalms associated with music. We even have the Selahs intermingled through the song.

The verse restates that Habakkuk is a prophet of God and this is his prayer. It is the response of the previous dialogue between God and himself. In verse 2, Habakkuk prays for mercy. In wrath, remember mercy. In verses 3 through 15, Habakkuk reminds himself and others of the many mighty works of God in the past.

In verse 3 through 15, God came from Tamon and the Holy One from Mount Perrin, Selah. His glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise and His brightness was as the light. He had horns coming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power. Before him went the pestilence, and the burning coals went forth at his feet. He stood and measured the earth.

He beheld and drove asunder the nations, and the everlasting mountains were scattered the perpetual Hills did bow his ways are everlasting I saw the tints of Kushan in affliction and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers? Was thy wrath against the sea? That thou didst ride upon nine horses and thy chariots of salvation. Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oath of the tribes, even thy word, Selah.

Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers, the mountains saw thee and they trembled, and overflowing of the water passed by. The deep uttered his voice and lifted up his hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation. At the light of thine arrows they went. And at the shining of the glittering spear thou didst march through the land in indignation.

Thou didst thrash the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed. Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation into the neck, Selah. Thou didst strike them through with his staves the head of his villages. They came out as a whirlwind to scatter me.

Their rejoicing was to devour the poor secretly. Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters. Where is Taiman? Taiman is an oasis in Edom, but might represent the whole area south of the Dead Sea. Whereas Peran, Peran lies west of Edom.

This was a reminder of when God came down to Mount Sinai to give the law to Moses. The two horns could represent the two tablets of the law. The pestilence and burning coals are a reminder of the plagues upon Egypt at the Exodus. We remember the crossing of the Jordan river and the Red sea. The sun and the moon stood still at the prayer of Joshua so that Israel could gain a victory in Joshua 10 13.

He remembers also Joshua's victories over the nations of Canaan as the Jews entered the promised land. Now in verse 16 through 19, when I heard my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself that I might rest in a day of trouble. When he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines. The labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, and the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like Heinz feet and he will make me to walk upon mine high places to the chief singer on my stringed instruments." Here in verses 16 through 19 we see Habakkuk rising from a place of complaining and doubts in the first chapter to faith in God and His sovereignty. Habakkuk trembles at what God has told him, the troubles that will be coming to Judah. Yet he hopes that he'll rest in the day of trouble. In this day of trouble, food may be short.

We see no figs, no fruit, no olives, no meat, no flocks, no herds. Yet, Habakkuk says he will rejoice in the Lord. He will joy in the God of his salvation. Why? Because the Lord God is my strength.

Habakkuk's problem is our problem. We lack faith. We see difficulties and we complain. We're impatient. What are some of the lessons we can glean from this book?

If we are struggling in our circumstances or in our faith, we need to turn to the Lord. We need to be in prayer. We need to be talking with God constantly. Just as Habakkuk was watching, listening, and writing down what God revealed to him, we also should be ever vigilant, watching, Looking for God, working in our lives. We need to listen for God.

How do we do that? We be still. We listen. We wait. We pray.

We read the scriptures. We meditate on His word. We write. Do you have a prayer journal? Do you have a diary or journal of some sort?

If not, I would recommend that you start one. Write down your prayers and God's answers. If you're a family with young children, I don't know where it went in our family, but we used to have a cardboard box. We put pictures on it, made it pretty. And as we were going through different times in our lives where there were struggles, we would write our prayers down and then we would write the answer and put it in the box.

So anytime we wanted to get encouragement, we could go to the box and open it up and read through some of the things God had done. If you don't write them down, you forget them and you wonder, where is God? God is there. You just have to look. You have to stop.

You have to listen. You have to wait. So I'd encourage you, write your answers down. If you reach a low spot in your life, Go to your prayer journal. Read through all the ways God has worked in your life.

It's a real blessing. Habakkuk did this, and he was able to reflect on all of God's past work. We too can be encouraged and strengthened by being reminded of how God has worked in our lives. Many people try to come up with New Year's resolutions. What if instead as a family You set aside some time after Christmas and you read through your prayer journal.

You go through this little box and read through with your children all the answered prayers that God has given you over the last year. Might be a nice way to start the year. Do we observe wickedness and injustice around us? I do. I see it everywhere.

I'm sure you see it as well. You turn on the TV if you have one, or you look at the news on your phone. There are so many who are getting away with breaking the law and they have no consequences. Just as Habakkuk was sickened by the behavior of Judah and the people, We are or should be sickened by the behavior in our own country, in our cities, in our state. Wickedness abounds.

The cup of wrath should be getting full. We ask why, why hasn't a great judgment happened on America yet? Why doesn't God do something? Perhaps it's starting. Certainly it's coming.

There's not an example in the Bible of a wicked nation avoiding judgment, and America will not be the first. We will be judged, but we must wait on God's perfect timing. We must trust in God and in his perfect ways. And we must restrain our impulses that demand instant justice. We have to remember who's in control.

It's not me, it's not you, it's God. I'd like to end with what Habakkuk said at the end of his book, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation, the Lord God is my strength. Let's pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, for your word.

Lord, there's so much that is there. We can sift and sift throughout our whole lives and never reach the depths of what you have given us in your holy word. Lord, I thank you for this book of Habakkuk. Lord, there's so many things that we can appreciate and associate with in our own lives and our own behaviors. Lord, help us learn to seek answers from you, to wait, to be patient, Lord, to trust.

Lord, as we pray things, I pray that we would pray with an expectation that you will answer and a humble heart and submissive spirit to your will. Lord, I pray too that when answers come that we might be willing to be corrected or corrected in our understanding of how you're working. Lord, give us a humble spirit. Lord, help us keep our focus on you. Help us remember, Lord, that you are our sovereign God.

And all that you do will bring you glory and will be for your people's good. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.