A Piece of My Heart

Saturday, November 8 2014

Senseless violence and dark injustice can make for a steady rain in life - dampening spirits in mists of grey. In the summer of 2013, a 17 year old from a rough neighbourhood jumped in front of his mother to protect her from an attack. The bullet struck and killed him, leaving his mother clutching his lifeless body in front of their home. The boy´s brother, who witnessed the crime, said later, "I lost a big piece of my heart that night."

Habakkuk was losing heart - bit by bit, piece by piece. All around him, he witnessed violence and injustice. The nation of Judah was struggling with a pagan nation - Assyria - pressing down on them, and the effects of sin were eating away at them. The prophet called out to God, "O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal - surely you do not plan to wipe us out?" (Habakkuk 1:12). Habakkuk acknowledged God, His holy ways and the eternal hope he needed in his bitter, temporal circumstances.

As the prophet called out to God, he called Him "Our Rock" (v.12). That speaks of God´s sovereign power and constant faithfulness. The prophet was struggling with the sin, violence and injustice of his day, but he knew he could call on the One who would listen and - one day - make things right. And God didn´t disappoint. He told Habakkuk that even though Judah´s enemies would thrive for a time and even conquer them, His judgement and punishment would "surely take place" (2:3).

When you and I are overwhelmed by the harsh and unjust things we witness and experience in life, may we choose to be like Habakkuk - calling out to God and waiting expectantly for Him to answer (v.1). "Surely" He will answer and make all things right one day (v.3). - Tom Felten

Read
Habakkuk 1:12 - 2:12
O Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die.
O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgement; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish.
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
You have made men like fish in the sea, like sea creatures that have no ruler.
The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad.
Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food.
Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Then the Lord replied : 
"Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
"See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright - but the righteous will live by his faith - indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples.
"Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, 'Woe to him who pikes up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?'
Will not your debtors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble? Then you will become their victim. Because you have plundered many nations, the people who are left will plunder you. For you have shed man´s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them."
"Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it."
"Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime!"

Psalms 33:5
The Lord loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of his unfailing love.

Isaiah 61:8
"For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them."

Question to ponder :
What has caused you to lose a piece of your heart?
How does the promise of restoration and God´s justice realized in the future encourage you today?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Sept - Nov 2014 Issue.