How long?

How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?                             Hab. 1.2

Habakkuk is likely referring to Judah during the reign of Jehoiakim who was an ambitious, cruel and corrupt leader. The land at this time was rife with social corruption and spiritual apostasy.

Yet God seemed not to take any notice whatsoever, and Habakkuk had had enough. His frustration is obvious in these words. Evil appears to go unpunished indeed, on the contrary, it seems to prosper. God is not responding to prayer, Habakkuk knows that too well.

But God does respond and His answer, and action, astound Habakkuk. God gains his attention and tells him to be utterly amazed, “For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” And what God tells Habakkuk truly shocks him. God is going to raise up the Babylonians, a people much more ruthless and impetuous than the miserable Judahites, and He is going to punish Judah through these barbarians.

There is, understandably, further response from Habakkuk, but that is not for now.

I have two points pertaining to this reading. The first is that God does indeed hear and respond. He has heard Habakkuk’s long-standing pleas and He now comes to respond.

The second point is clearly illustrated by Habakkuk. God will respond – in His own time, and also in His own unique and sovereign manner. It is clear by Habakkuk’s response that he is not prepared for the extreme solution that God is proposing for the infidelity of His people. And history has borne out just how severe this action was to be. Did people learn from it? I’m not sure. Am I prepared to learn from Habakkuk’s experience? It seems that, yet again, I am reminded to persevere in prayer, to know that God hears, and will answer. But both the answer and the timing will be with God. Meanwhile I might just need to develop patience.

Lord God,

You heard Habakkuk and You responded. Both the response and the timing of it were in Your will. I thank You for this reminder. I continue to pray for things that have seemingly been unanswered or not fully addressed by You. I will continue to pray, believing that You do hear and You will answer in Your time and in Your way.

I shall try not to anticipate Your response, and be willing to receive and accept the answer that You bring, for I know in my heart that this is the divine response, and the only way to go.

Holy Father, I pray for the patience to wait upon You however long it might take. May I wait in expectancy and peace and be ready to act in whatever manner You require.              Amen.