Does your situation influence your worship? What I mean is this. What are your feelings towards God when things are going wrong? Let’s consider something written long ago by a prophet in Judah.
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! The Lord my Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!” (Habakkuk 3:17–19, CSB)
Habakkuk foresaw a dire time. Judah had lost its love for God and His ways; consequently, the land was filled with strife, violence, and injustice. In essence, Habakkuk is praying, “Well God, what are you going to do about this!” God’s answer is to send the Chaldeans(Babylon) to conquer the land and take Judah captive. That was not exactly the answer he was hoping for.
And yet, at the close of his book, Habakkuk wrote what we just read above. Though all the harvests fail and the flocks disappear, I will celebrate in God; I will rejoice (express joy) in the God of my salvation. Could we do the same? If our entire world crumbles to dust and it seems that God has turned His back on us, would we still celebrate God and joyfully express God’s work in our life?
You see, the base need for life is not food, water, and shelter. For Christ-followers, the base need of our life is Christ. Job expressed the same during his journey through loss, “Even if he kills me, I will hope in him.” (Job 13:15a, CSB) The three young men brought before Nebuchadnezzar for failing to bow before his image said, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17–18, NLT) Can we say the same? Can we say – even if all is stripped from my life, I will celebrate God’s goodness and rejoice in His salvation?
I want to make one point clear. This doesn’t mean that we ignore or suppress our loss or lack. But it instead means that our loss or lack, while dire and painful, doesn’t wipe out our utter need for God. No, the Lord is our strength, and He enables us to scale the high places of His love.
- Corinthian Controversies: Hair, Respect, and Value - April 24, 2024
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- The Legacy - April 15, 2024
