Habbakuk week 3

How do we respond when God doesn't act the way we want Him to?

Matthew 7:11 (NIV)
11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Habakkuk 1:2 (NIV)
2How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?

Habakkuk 1:5-6 (NIV)
5“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.

Habakkuk 1:12 (NIV)
12LORD, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, LORD, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.

Habakkuk 2:1 (NIV)
1I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Habakkuk 2:3 (NIV)
3For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Habakkuk 2:20 (NIV)
20The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

1. Pray.

We must pray and talk to God. Instead of spending our time complaining and talking to others, we should spend our time praying.

Habakkuk 3:1 (NIV)
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.

2. Remember.

Remember what God has done, trust Him. Find comfort in remembering who God is. Read the Word, think about the good things that God has done for us.

Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV)
2LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.

Habakkuk 3:3–4 (NIV)
3God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth.
4His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden.

Habakkuk 3:5–6 (NIV)
5Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps.
6He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed— but he marches on forever.

Habakkuk 3:11 (NIV)
11Sun and moon stood still in the heavens at the glint of your flying arrows, at the lightning of your flashing spear.
Habakkuk remembers a time when Joshua was in a battle and they were winning and it was about to get dark and Joshua cried out to God, make the son stand still, and it did for 3 hours.

Habakkuk 3:13–15 (NIV)
13You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness, you stripped him from head to foot.
14With his own spear you pierced his head when his warriors stormed out to scatter us, gloating as though about to devour the wretched who were in hiding.
15You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters.

3. Embrace.

Embrace God even in times of trouble, hold tight to Him. Love God for who He is.

Habakkuk 3:16–19 (NIV)
16I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 (NIV)
17Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
18yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

4. Shigionoth

A musical term, a lyrical poem with emotion, passion, dancing, joy. God, if you never do another thing, you are my everything.

Habakkuk 3:1 (NIV)
1A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.