Brethren, you are not alone, we are in it together as part of our calling (1 Pet 4:12–17).
Ill Health, aging parents, erring children, family/marital dysfunction, joblessness, and many others seem to be the order of our day. Our times are slowly becoming more painful than joyous. Maranatha, we pray!
This week, a careful glance through Habakkuk delighted my soul. The Prophet complained about how God would use Babylon to punish Assyria and Judah. He laments God’s use of a wicked nation for his divine purpose. But after interacting with God, Habakkuk absorbed that though God’s ways are sometimes mysterious, the righteous shall live by faith (Hab 2:4) while waiting for his salvation.
For that reason, at the close of the book, Habakkuk expressed great faith in God. Amidst tough times, he found joy and strength in God to face life. He prayed:
“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, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” (Hab 3:17– 19).
Beloved, you may be experiencing unprecedented suffering which has left you contemplating whether to give in or give up altogether; please don’t. Continue resting your faith in God. Even though your effort appears fruitless and unpromising; hold on to the Lord. Don’t buy into the idea that your life is at a dead-end; trust God. He is faithful and sovereign over your suffering. He will surely make a way for you.
I pray, as was with Habakkuk, so may it be with you, that God alone is the joy of your salvation and strength.
From the Pastor's Desk ✍🏽
With Pastor Saidi
17th March 2023
Comments