Saturday, February 10, 2018

Rejoice in the Lord Always

The end of Habakkuk is perhaps the most challenging passage in all of scripture. I am not referring to the textual difficulties concerning the passage. I am not referring to translation difficulties; there are none that I know of in the passage. I am not referring to difficulties understanding what he is saying. It is all too clear what he is saying; but we find it difficult to say it with him.

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:1-19, ESV)

Are we ready to say that? There were no supermarkets in 600 BC. If the crops failed the people went hungry. Would we serve God under the circumstances described here? Are we so committed that we will rejoice in the Lord no matter the circumstance?
Obviously, for most, the answer is “no.” Those who have little desire to praise him while living in comfort and plenty, would not take joy in him while suffering.

Where did we get the idea that the Christian life is supposed to be easy? Where did we get the idea that the followers of God will always get what they want? Did Abraham, Joseph, Moses, or Jeremiah always get what they wanted? Did Christ? (Mt 26:39)
We serve a crucified savior. How dare we expect that our path should always be easy?

I do not claim to know that I will always rejoice in the LORD and take joy in God. I do not know what I would do in a case such as Habakkuk describes. But I pray for strength to do better than I am doing, to be more of what I should be, to trust in God, even when everything seems to be going wrong.

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