Today’s scripture comes from Habakkuk 3. Habakkuk was a little known prophet that lived around and after the death of King Josiah. He had seen times of great pagan worship in Israel and then a return to God for a brief time. Habakkuk is a changed man as he interacts with God. The third chapter begins with his prayer:

Habakkuk 3:1-2 God, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about you,
    and I’m stopped in my tracks, down on my knees.
Do among us what you did among them.
    Work among us as you worked among them.
And as you bring judgment, as you surely must,
    remember mercy. Habakkuk is pleading with God for him to make himself known among the people even though judgement for their idolatry is imminent he asks God for mercy. Habakkuk knew the nature of God and had seen His work among the people. What about you? Do you know who God is and what He has done? He is our mighty God and there is none like Him. Psalm 89:8 “O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?” He has done great things for us, Romans 8:3 “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,”

Habakkuk concludes his prayer with some of the most beautiful words in the Bible.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
    and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
    and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
    and the cattle barns empty,
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
    I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God’s Rule to prevail,
    I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
    I feel like I’m king of the mountain! Habakkuk looked beyond his present circumstances and decided upon full surrender and dependence upon God. He was going to keep his focus upon God as he could count of God’s faithfulness, strength, commitment and love. It made him feel like a new man that was able to climb those spiritual and physical mountains ahead. Is you faith in God based on Jesus and His faithful character? Do you know for certain He has the future handled?

Matthew 6:24-26 gives us an anchor within God’s character upon which to hold. Jesus promises, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”  Are you not of more value than they? Jesus also gave us this promise of peace in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” We are valued by God and can have His peace in our lives.

Whenever you are down trodden or feeling without hope, remember Jesus is the answer. This Christmas season claim His promises and be filled with hope and peace just as Habakkuk was so long ago. He has the future handled and we can count upon God!

Linda