Habakkuk Prayers

 

    Habakkuk was a prophet.  That means that God talked to him.  That means that he was able to talk to God directly.  Before the Holy Spirit was able to reside in God's people (after Jesus' ascension), He only would be with a select few at certain times.  That is why it is recorded, so the rest of the people have an opportunity to have a relationship with God.

    Habakkuk's first prayer he was a lament to God over believing his prayers were being unheard.  The violence was everywhere and he wanted God to respond.  He was forced to face injustice and he felt alone in that battle.  He felt that the law was ineffective because strife and conflict reigned.  The wicked oppressed the righteous so that justice could be perverted.

    God saw and felt Habakkuk's distress, so He responded.  He wanted Habakkuk to know that He was doing something.  Sin would not go unpunished.  Things had to get worse before they could get better.  It needed to be clear who was righteous and who was wicked.  When God's justice did come, it would be swift.  

    Habakkuk had confidence in his relationship with God because He went to God again with a second prayer.  God is eternity.  He is holy.  He is the rock in an unjust world.  Habakkuk knew all that to be true, so how could God stand by and allow evil to happen?  Why is wrong tolerated and God stays quiet?  Why were the wicked not punished now?  It felt inconsistent to Habakkuk.  

    Habakkuk could only see all that was wrong in the world around him.  He could not see the big picture.  With that said, have we not all had these questions at one point?  Have you asked God similar questions?    It is hard to be patient and let God do as He designed sometimes.

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