Back to the basics

What do we do when we have prayed to God and we don't like the answer we got? We talked about this some last week; we talked about how we've been there, just as Habakkuk was. Most of us have been there many times. That is just the way life is. 

We have our dreams and we make our plans. We sincerely desire to do the will of God and we pray. But when the answer comes, it's not what we were expecting. We discover that God's plan and ours are not the same. We've prayed "thy will be done," but it still knocks us for a loop when we discover that God has something completely different in mind . . . 

That's where our buddy Habakkuk is standing. He sure doesn't like the answer he received. Like we said last week, he first thought that God might be ignoring Judah's sins. And next, he thought, "no way!" God wouldn't use the Babylonians to discipline Judah, would He?

Well, he was wrong on both counts.

And Habakkuk's problem is a common one. It happens when God doesn't live up to our expectations. The same thing troubles people today. We can't reconcile our view of God with the injustice we see around us. We see pain and suffering around us, and we wonder where it comes from AND why God allows it.

We see a tornado touch down and we wonder why there, not over there?

We hear of Christians being massacred in Iraq and in Africa, and we say why?

The list of questions goes on and on.

Habakkuk is the story of a man who wrestled with God over the hard questions. And we can learn a lot from his personal journey.

Let's look at the second half of chapter one:

Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to correct. 

 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? 

Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, Like creeping things without a ruler over them? 

The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, Drag them away with their net, And gather them together in their fishing net. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. 

Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net And burn incense to their fishing net; Because through these things their catch is large, And their food is plentiful. 

Will they therefore empty their net And continually slay nations without sparing? (v 12 - 17)

Let's dig into the questions that Habakkuk asked God.

The first thing he asked was "Who are You?" Now that seems like a strange question, doesn't it? I heard a pastor say once that when God makes no sense to us humans, we either turn our back on our faith or we remind ourselves who God is . . . if our faith begins to falter, we "go back to the basics." That is what we see Habakkuk do in verse twelve up there.

Habakkuk calls God everlasting; He is sovereign.

He calls Him Lord; He is the personal God of Israel.

He calls Him God; the Creator and majestic ruler.

He calls Him holy; set apart from sin.

He calls Him the Rock; the only safe place.

When we are trying (like Habakkuk was) to get our heads around an unexpected answer from God, we should go back to what we know is true about God. If we are beginning to question His wisdom, we must remember His sovereignty. If we are stressed about His faithfulness, we simply need to remind ourselves of His eternal love. If we are worried about His power, we need to remember His majesty. If we are thinking His plan isn't fair, we should remind ourselves of His holiness.  If we remember that He protects us, we will never question His goodness.

Our question is not the one the atheists pose: "Do I believe in God?"  Our question is "What sort of God do I believe in?"  God's plans for us make not make sense to us. But faith is not a feeling. It's a choice. Sometimes we humans are going to choose to believe something because of what we can see or hear or well, you know the five senses, right? (Grin) But I'm here to testify -- sometimes we choose to believe in spite of what we see. As we look at the world around us, there are always going to be mysterious things and unanswerable questions. But if there's not a God in heaven, and if He is not good, then absolutely nothing makes sense! We choose to believe. It's in the valleys that we learn our only confidence is in God alone. 

Many of us have participated in services where the pastor will say, "God is good."

The congregation will answer, "All the time."

The pastor then says, "All the time," and the people say, "God is good."

I read an account of a pastor who discovered that this originated in the churches of Nigeria. There was one significant difference, though. In Nigeria, the congregation would finish by saying, "I am a witness."

Wow!

That's powerful. And it's personal.

A personal testimony.

And that is what Habakkuk is doing in this second part of chapter one. He is still confused, but he is testifying to his faith in God.

Perhaps the next time God gives us an answer that shakes us in our boots, we should remind ourselves of the "basics."

God is good and holy.

He is just and knows all things.

God is love. He makes no mistakes.

God's Word is true.

Jesus Christ is His Son. 
He died on the cross and rose from the dead.

He ascended into heaven and will return one day.

The Holy Spirit is real and guides me each day.

Then, the basics about us - our testimony.

God is always with me.

All things work together for my good and for God's glory.

God will complete His work in me.

If we say these things, or perhaps write them out, when we feel like asking God questions, those "basic" principles will bring comfort to our hearts. They will strengthen our faith. They will be a reminder to us of God's character and love -- and they will help us be witnesses!