Habakkuk 1:5 “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.”

This passage seems remarkably current. Habakkuk’s complaint in verses 2-4 sounds like something someone might say even today. This verse is God’s response, and it should be a powerful reminder to us that God isn’t limited by what we can imagine. Back then, God was getting ready to use the Babylonians to punish Judah’s unfaithfulness, and actually, we see parallels of that today, too, The description in the next verse of the Babylonians as ruthless certainly matches the Islamists today! God took Habakkuk on a journey of faith, and he learned his lesson well. The last verses of his book (Habakkuk 3:17-19) are one of the most beautiful, most profound statements of faith in the whole Bible. We don’t know how God is going to resolve the situations we see all around us, but we need to remember that He has a plan and it is good. First of all, He is never surprised by anything. (It is proof that Christ took on our human limitations that Jesus was surprised by such things as the centurion’s faith, in Matthew 8/Luke 7.) As He told Habakkuk, we are the ones who are amazed. We don’t yet know what He is going to do tomorrow, and we might not recognize it even when it happens, but in the end it will prove to be very good. The challenge to us is to walk in personal faithfulness, holding ourselves ready and available for whatever part He might have for us to play in His plan, but not being anxious about anything.

I am reminded of something the Lord said through and to me several years ago when I was in a bit of a prayer meeting with one of the believers in this church. I don’t remember the exact words, and it wasn’t recorded, but it was to the effect that I wasn’t to be surprised at what surprised others, but rather to expect God to do remarkable things. My level of expectation is still too low! I’m not to try to dictate to God what He is going to do (though we all tend to do that sometimes) but rather know that He has a plan and that it is good, and wait with baited breath for it to unfold. Yesterday held an unanticipated blessing, when someone who has been attending this church for years without making a commitment seemed to have a real breakthrough in that area. I don’t know when he will follow through with baptism, but I can look forward to it! Likewise, I have recently seen signs of breakthrough with someone else with whom I have been sharing Christ for many years, and I am to look forward to welcoming Him into God’s family as well. I am painfully aware that I cannot save anyone in my own strength, but I am to love them with God’s love and speak God’s truth to them and stand on their behalf against the lies that seek to bind them, and expect God to act.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Forgive me for my shallow faith. Help me get my eyes off of myself and actively anticipate what You are going to do, so that I may be fully available to You at all times, for Your kingdom and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!