The Weekly Epistle 8/11/21

It is a time when the world is a mess.  International concerns and unrest.  Things appear to be hopelessly out of control.  And even more disturbing is that it doesn’t seem like God is doing anything about it. 
 
I am talking about 620 BC.  The nation had greatly declined that led to its fall.  The prophet Habakkuk looks around at the situation and has something to say about the state of things. He feels free to share his complaints and his frustrations to God.  
 
In chapter 1, verse 2, the prophet’s complaint is, “how long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?”  I remind you he is saying this to God.  What is typical of Old Testament prophets is that a prophet would speak for God to the people.  What is unique here is that the prophet Habakkuk is speaking to God about the people.  
 
He continues, “Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ But you do not save?  Why do you make me look at injustice?  Why do you tolerate wrong?  Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore, the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.  The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.”
 
There seems to be a suggestion here of unjust oppression of the disadvantaged and that people were wrongly bringing others to court who could not defend themselves.  And no one was doing anything about it.  Not even God.  Know the feeling?  Is that the cry of your heart?  
 
I think we can relate to Habakkuk.  When the prophet says cry out it means to shout.  It is that reaction after seeing some violent story on the news.  You just want to scream.  When the fabric of society is coming apart, when things seem all upside down in the world, like the prophet we wonder how long it can go on without God’s intervention in saying, “enough!”
 
Habakkuk is so exasperated He accuses God of not listening.  In speaking of God not listening what he means is that God is not doing anything about the situation.  Listening is not just hearing it but doing something about it- some kind of active response.  We could summarize Habakkuk’s complaint as “God, do something!”  
 
To Habakkuk’s credit, he takes his complaint to God.  From the depth of his heart, he cries out!  Am I going to the Lord with such earnestness and urgency?  Are you wrestling in prayer in anguish of heart for the matters at hand? Are we striving together in prayer for the real battle at hand which is not flesh and blood but the unseen forces of evil?  
 
One way you can do this is by joining with your EBC family tonight from 7:00-7:30 in the gym parking lot to pray.  This is our third of four “prayer 30” events for the summer months.  I hope to see you there!
 
Blessings to you, Pastor Brian