Habakkuk 3:17-18
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Have a righteous Wednesday!
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June 4th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I admittedly can hardly even relate to this verse, except in a sense of inference. i mean, really, in my life i have never experienced such lack, and may the Creator forbid it.
i once had the oppurtunity to preach from Lamentations just after we lost a baby. i had previously wondered whether i would be able to persevere through trial and not turn on G-d. by His grace, He worked in me to cling to Him and serve Him despite the circumstances and my own self-suspicion. Yes, “He Who bagan a good work in you will be faithful to complete until the Day of Y’shua the Messiah!” Blessing to all of you who are being kept for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time!
June 5th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Tim,
your experience after losing your child is indeed similar to what the prophet states, and I too pray for you saying “may the creator forbid” poverty and famine, but I have been in dire straights several times in life and understand fully the insight and blessing that only absolute adversity can bring. Its not that we wish for hardship, but that we are able to persevere in the event of it…
Even now one year after quitting my high pay cushy corporate job to give more to pastoring my church things arent the greatest financially… but spiritually things are better than they’ve been!
Point is, before there was hardship in my life this concept was just an intellectual excercise - like planning what you’d do if your car ever careened into a river. Its never happened before and chances are that it wont ever happen, so though you can imagine it you just dont know…
When I first experienced hardship of course it was way different from anything I could have planned. After making hardship much harder by ignoring God I began to learn that I need to figure out how to “Joy in the God of my salvation” more than try to scheme my way out of affliction…
Now having had many periods of hardship (financial, spiritual, physical) I know for sure that there is no other course of action but to joyfully trust God. Its now just as natural as reacting to blessing with a smile…
Thats what Habakkuk knew and is explaning to us…