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Back to Sermons Index Back to Home Page 29th October 2006 PMPRAYER IS THE KEY Pastor Colin MeadowsBible Readings: Habakkuk 3:1-4, 12-19
Þ Seeing things from the right perspective! The Magic Eye books are fascinating. I took forever to get to see the first three dimensional picture that was imbedded there. Others said that I needed to just concentrate and the picture would appear but at first I couldn’t see it. Then I finally saw what they were talking about! There was another picture there after all. I just hadn’t seen it at first because I hadn’t spent time carefully and patiently looking. This was the case with the prophet Habakkuk. He was struggling with the events that were going on around him. Then when God spoke with him, he was even more confused. Why were things going so badly for his people? Why would God consider using evil people to bring about his purposes? Habakkuk needed to stop and patiently look at the canvas of life, to wait for God to reveal the full picture to him. God was still painting. What did the prophet need to do? Þ Pray to see things God’s way! The prophet had been struggling with God. Why didn’t God act to bring about justice amongst his people? Why was he delaying? Then when God said he would act by using the wicked Babylonians, Habakkuk became perplexed. Why would God consider using such an evil people? How could a holy God use such unholy means to bring about his purposes? God then spoke to him and the cloud lifted. His confusion was now behind him. The situation hadn’t changed and God hadn’t changed but the prophet had changed! He was now seeing things in a different way, God’s way. He had struggled with God and now realized that he needed to submit to God. There is a time to struggle with God but such times of struggle must lead to a time of submission. Submission leads to prayer and this is where be find Habakkuk now. Þ Pray with a sense of awe and humility There was nothing brash or presumptuous about this prayer. The prophet instead was on his knees before God. There was a deep sense of reverence and humility in his heart. In fact, his prayer in this case was set to be accompanied by music to heighten the sense of worship and awe. The first and last verses of the chapter highlight this. Such prayer is far more than just asking God for help. It was a time of praise, of thanksgiving, recollection and adoration. Hab 3:2 “LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day; in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” The prophet was no longer questioning God’s ways. Rather he now sees that God’s ways are just and right. Thus he invites God to carry out his purposes, just as he has done in days gone by. As he reflects on the heart of God, he knows that God’s ways are best, for his anger will be tempered by mercy. Habakkuk has humbly submitted to God. No longer does he attempt to defend his people or himself. He has passed the time of feeling ‘It’s not fair’. Rather he is contemplating God in all his holiness and justice. He is now concerned for the glory of God and nothing else. What about us? Are we still questioning God’s ways and his justice or have we humbled ourselves before God, submitting to him by faith? Do we still struggle to accept what is happening around us or have we humbled ourselves before God? As we submit to God, we can draw strength from remembering what God has done in the past. Þ Pray as you recall the past Habakkuk reflects on what God has done in the past. The prophet gives a history lesson to remind himself of what God has done in days gone by. Let us also refresh our hearts as we go over the acts of God down through the ages. The Bible is not a collection of fables designed to produce faith. The Bible is full of historical events that tell what God has done in the past and prophecy concerning what he intends to do in the future. We are prone to forget. Many times I have gone into an examination, feeling reasonably well prepared. Then I open the question paper and am stunned! When did the lecturer talk about that issue? I don’t remember when this was discussed? We forget so quickly. Let us be people who regularly read God’s Word to remind ourselves of what He has done in the past. The truth of God’s Word thus rests on the facts of history and not on mythological stories. Habakkuk recalls the mighty acts of God in history, of rescuing his people, time after time, and bringing them to the Promised Land. God is still doing that today for his people, sustaining them through the ups and downs of life. God will then in coming days judge the world. God is the one who is in control of the events of history. Let us draw strength from that truth today. Let us thus, in other words, wait for God in faith. Þ Pray waiting patiently for God to act The nation at that time was facing its biggest challenge. As Habakkuk contemplated the future, fear swept over him. Hab 3:16 “I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.” As he contemplated what was to happen, he was afraid. It will be the same for us. As we wait for God to act we will experience firstly a sense of holy fear that will slowly change to faith. For the people of Judah, the sign of God’s blessing on their land was when it produced a bountiful harvest – figs, grapes, olives, grain from the fields. Sheep and cattle would overflow in the yards as the people herded their livestock. The exact opposite was about to happen. Hab 3:17 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vine, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls…” Rather, the Babylonians would destroy all that was of value in the land. Trees cut down, animals stolen or slaughtered, crops destroyed. What was the prophet’s response? Þ Pray joyfully in God’s strength! As Habakkuk prayed, there arose a strong sense of hope and joy in the salvation he had in God. Even in the disastrous situations that he faced he was able to rejoice. Hab 3:18 “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” In spite of the absence of all these signs of God’s blessings Habakkuk would rejoice. His joy was independent of his circumstances. Such joy would enable him to overcome and to rise like a mountain deer, hopping from one peak to another. This strength thus would not be his own but rather be from God. Hab 3:19 “The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” In Southern Africa there are many species of antelope, each suited to the particular environment where they live. I was greatly intrigued however by the small klipspringers, little antelope that live in the rocky outcrops that dot the landscape in various regions. They have the amazing ability to leap from one precarious rock face to another, without losing their footing. That is what is spoken of here - the ability to go from one position of danger to another without losing their footing. As we trust God, looking to him for strength for each day, so he will enable us to do the same. Þ Prayer is the key! Let us thus be people of prayer. This has always been the pathway of faith for followers of Christ. 2 Chron 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Ps 32:6 “Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found.” v Pray to see things God’s way! v Pray with a sense of awe and humility – get on our knees v Pray as you recall the past – we so easily forget v Pray waiting patiently for God to act v Pray joyfully in God’s strength! Be like the deer!
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