Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)
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Scratching
the Surface of Habakkuk
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This world has so
many predators.
Habakkuk
understood how we feel.
It was about 600
years before Jesus showed up and Habakkuk looked around and saw a nation that
was supposed to be dedicated to God that was corrupt and filled with all kinds
of injustices: bad leaders, bad citizens, and bad behaviors.
Habakkuk was
bewildered and befuddled by what theology calls the theodicy or "justice
of God" question (viz., "How can a just God allow so many injustices,
insults to His holiness, and injuries to His people?"): "How long
must I cry for help and You don't seem to listen or care? There's so much
violence and You don't save us from it. Why do I have to see so much bad
stuff? Why do You tolerate so much evil? It's getting worse all the
time. Justice is perverted! There is no justice!"
Sounds familiar.
Making matters
worse, God tells Habakkuk that it's gonna get worse: "I am rousing the
Chaldeans...They are fierce and terrifying...They are determined to wipe you
out."
We can almost
hear the prophet, "Sorry I asked."
The nation is
riddled by idolatry, injustice, and violence; and now they're about to be
terrorized by the Chaldeans/Babylonians.
In other words, Habakkuk
saw how awful everything had become and complained about it to God; and then
God tells him that it's gonna get worse!
So Habakkuk
shouts, "Why? Why do You persecute people who are trying? Why
do You persecute people who are more than less on Your side? What's up
with that?"
Anyone relating
yet?
Bullies.
Bad economy.
Bad guys at the
borders.
Bad behaviors.
Bad leadership.
Bad citizenship.
Lots of baaaaaaad stuff!
How can God let
this happen?
Why does God let this
happen?
Doesn't He care?
I've felt that
way.
Have you?
That's why we can
relate so well to Habakkuk and why Habakkuk can relate so well to us; because
he had the same questions over 2600 years ago.
For all of us, he
complained about it and demanded an answer from God: "I will wait and
watch to see what He says about my complaint!"
Gutsy.
Honest.
Not very
religious.
But very
relational; as in child to
parent.
God answered:
"The vision awaits it's time...Wait for it...It will come...In the
meantime, the righteous will live by faith.'
Notice God does
not answer the why question:
"Why do bad things happen to people who are trying to honor God?'
Surely, He
follows up with woes or
watch outs to
the bad guys who He promises will catch it sooner or later and definitely in
the end.
Again, He does
not answer the why question.
He tells us how to live in the
meantime.
Faith: "The
righteous shall live by faith."
Trust.
Confidence.
I'm not talking
about two-feet-planted-firmly-in-the-air superstition or golly-gee-really-hope-He-comes-throughism.
Absolutely not!
I'm talking about
the kind of faith that says with the Psalmist, "I was young. Now I
am older. And in all of my time from younger to older, I have never seen
God abandon His people. He has always come through for us sooner or
later, usually sooner than later, and definitely in the end."
That's faith!
Faith built on
facts!
We can trust God
because God has proven He can be trusted!
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...to be continued...
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Blessings and Love!
5 comments:
Excellent piece!
Your affirmation means a lot to me, brother!
I might be sharing it, with your permission, in one of our approaching newsletters.
Absolutely, brother!
best book to pronounce in the Bible
how often do we read it as a dialogue?
can we even turn our idea of God into an idea?
right thinking or experiencing God?
Could a little trembling be good right now?
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