Blog

by Nathan Buck

Last week, I asked you to consider if we have brought all of the terror from ISIS on ourselves. I asked you to consider if God may be raising up ISIS, like the Chaldeans of ancient times, to let us experience the violence and terror we ourselves have created in our rebellion against God. I encourage you to go back and read last week's post.

Let's look at Habakkuk's response to God. Read Habakkuk 1:12-17. Notice that there is shock, fear, distress, and even pleading with God as the reality of what is coming settles on Habakkuk.

Some of you may have had the same reaction. Some may dismiss me as ignoring God's grace and protection through Jesus. So, let me ask you this: has God ever relinquished His command to care for the weak, the children, the poor, the widow? If we have started to live as if we do not have them among us, then we are not in community, and we are leaving them exposed to whatever may happen to them. Worse yet, we may be benefitting from them staying where they are.

Beyond that, we have begun to demonize everyone in our culture. The rich are blamed for being rich. The poor are blamed for being opportunists. The widow is blamed for not picking herself up and moving on. The children, even the unborn, are blamed for being an inconvenience to our goals and plans. Spouses are blamed for not being who the other spouse wants them to be. The government is blamed for corruption we have allowed. And ultimately anyone is blamed for being everyone else but “me.”

Our narcissism is at an all time high, and our ability to see what is morally right and wrong is rapidly being corrupted by those who want every deviation validated as normal. We are the mess. And whether it is terrorism, or economic ruin, or destruction as a result of moral decay, we are experiencing the mess we have chosen to make.

Our only appeal is to go to God, like Habakkuk, and plead that the consequences not be total destruction. Our only hope is to throw ourselves on His mercy and humbly seek His forgiveness, cleansing, and strength to walk a different way - His way.

Once again, I invite you to draw near to God. Be honest about the moral compromises you have made and believed, surrender them, and seek God's help to live pure.

We will see God’s next answer to Habakkuk next week. If your time with God has a more personal answer that you are ok sharing, feel free to post it in the comments below.

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