After spending nearly an hour on this blog the other night…this is now my second attempt at writing this…and lets hope I do not mess it up again!
I've joked recently with a squad teammate, about how I have had "no life" this past week. Work throughout the day, yet my evenings have been free to do with what I like. To have every evening open like, is a very rare thing for me. Yet, it was actually what I needed very much this past week…especially just coming off the holiday craze that we have in North America. It was a week where I really could "sit back, relax' and "listen" or better yet "hear" what God was/is trying to teach me and wow, has my mind been blowing! For whatever reason, God has been putting the words "JUSTICE" and "INJUSTICE" constantly in my head. When I am at work, they are there. With family-they are there. When I am alone-yet again those two words are there.
I find it fitting, with 2013 recently begun, that this will be a year of incredible Justice and Injustice to me. Especially with the race coming up in July….I KNOW it will NOT be a matter of IF I am exposed to the injustice in this world, just a matter of WHEN. I recently had a very interesting experience with the injustice part of it this past November while in Zambia. Click HERE to read of what happened and HERE to watch a video I made right after on it.
Ou(R) Squad…just as a heads up, I will need you guys/gals to help keep me accountable, and to remind me while on the race, about GOD'S Justice in an unjust world. There will be moments I know, when I wont want to let anyone 'in' as to how I am feeling and doing–but I am asking you-to keep me accountable, to help break down those 'walls' because chances are, I am lost, confused and wondering 'what the heck is God thinking?' I will cry, i will be furious, and I may not want a hug at the time..but just love me anyways ok?
I called this blog I am Habakkuk for a few reasons, in no particular order.
- I recently read through the book…like actually read it. I have read it for class assignments before in college…but if I am truly honest..it was more of a 'quick skim to get the book done'
- I discovered through reading it, that Habakkuk was in a space very similar to where I am now-as far as what he wrestled with, with God-which is Justice and injustice in this world.
- The name Habakkuk is just plain awesome!! I spent some time looking up the meaning of the name and came across something else that I found interesting. His name, in english, literally means "EMBRACE". "Embrace" is both a verb and a noun-yet they both define Embrace as "Hold (someone) closely in one's arms, an act of holding someone closely in one's arms"
- I found this defination of Habakkuk's name and the word EMBRACE, to be quite interesting and fitting.
In Habakkuk, he starts off with a complaint to God. Its a complaint I know I too, have had of God.
It is,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
The LORD responds this way,
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
My God, my Holy One, you[c] will never die.
You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;
you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
Why are you silent while the wicked
swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald[b] may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it[c] will certainly come
and will not delay.
and then HE further goes on to give all these Woe's to those causing the unjust, and I am reminded that God really DOES have things under control and the unjust people, will be brought to justice before God.
While there is a whole lot more yet to the book of Habakkuk, but I LOVE how this particular minor prophet, ends the book…with a prayer. it is a prayer that I will be praying while ON the WR but also, I hope I will be able to remember it right here, right now at home as well.
Habakkuk ends his prayer by stating;
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
"Father God, I do not know what 2013 will bring. I do not know what i will see or experience, but I PRAY that in those tough times when the injustice in this world is too much for me, I pray that I will remember that YOU are my strength and to rejoice and be joyful IN YOU for You are good. Thank you already, for blessing me with people in my life who have/are and will continue to, help walk with me through those times. What an incredible blessing and I cannot thank you and praise you enough for it! "
