Answers to Life's Questions: Habakkuk 3:17-19

OK, It is time to bring this discussion of Habakkuk to a close. I have been studying Habakkuk for several days now. Habakkuk the prophet was a man of strong faith and conviction to be greatly admired. If I were pressed to explain in one or two sentences what this old testament book was about I'd summarize it by saying it is a record of a conversation between a prophet and His God. It is about having faith in God in spite of circumstances...

Verses 3:17-19 provide the main theme: Trust in God during perilous times...

'... Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food, though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord is my strength, he make my feet like a deer's feet and He will make me walk the high hills...'

Habakkuk 3:17-19 New King James Version

Even when situations look really bad, (like during a famine) we should trust in God. We should give thanks to God. We must draw from His strength because it is both inexhaustible and immeasurable. God loves to uphold the weary...!

I feel off and on that I am experiencing a 'famine' in my life, lately. This study of Habakkuk has really helped my faith these past few days.

Tomorrow: Zephania, another minor old testament prophet...!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I do rejoice in You today. You are so very much alive to me. I am continually blessed by the messages from our pastors at church. And I am continually blessed by Your Living Word. I prayed earlier this year that You would give me an insatiable appetite for Your Word and You have been abundantly faithful, my King. Habakkuk reminds me that dark times may one day arrive but I am to seek my joy from You, Lord. I am not to seek satisfaction from my surroundings and creature comforts.

You are the Source of true happiness. You are the source of abundant life. Today I press in to You, my King. I submit to You, Lord.

My God and My Savior, I am nothing without You. Life is nothing apart from You. It seems that once again my feelings can be summed up in my favorite chorus at church:

Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved...

Jesus, I love You. Today I lay down my life for You because You first did so for me. And while I don't know for certain if You will require my existence in this world much longer, as long as I am functioning in this realm I will be serving You.

I present my wife and family to You this morning. I lift them up and pray special blessings on my life partner, Monica today. Guard her health, Lord. Strengthen her with Your Holy Spirit. Give her courage to stand for You today in all her encounters. Help us both to raise our boys to know love and honor You.

Father God I need You today like never before. And I pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.