Psalm 16:2

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Habakkuk. The spirit of my mind was drawn into communion with the Mind of the Spirit in the first four verses:

Habakkuk 1:1 ¶ The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

Habakkuk 1:2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

Habakkuk 1:3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Habakkuk 1:4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

Habakkuk was aware his complaint was unfounded, but like his contemporary, Jeremiah, he was honest about how he felt and did not, like Adam, attempt to hide his shame from God (Jeremiah 20:7; Genesis 3:7; see Proverbs 28:13). But like his more famous and likely at least somewhat more senior prophet, he expected God to reprove him (Habakkuk 2:1, see God’s answer in 2:2-20; and Habakkuk’s repentance at God’s reproof in Habakkuk 3).

Habakkuk’s complaint resonated with me. Riots are breaking out in cities nationwide, and I understand they have plans for Santa Maria, too. Our police are ready to step in if any protestors cross the line into acts of violence. I have cried about these and many other grievous and shameful acts of the unreasonable and wicked (Genesis 18:20; 2 Psalm 31:18; Jeremiah 6:28; Matthew 23:4; Acts 20:29; see 2 Thessalonians 3:2; and Ezekiel 9:1-6; Selah!)

Along the still waters, the Spirit communed with me. Jerry, does God turn His ear away from the cry of His children? Do you not remember that I said your Judge would “avenge them speedily” (Luke 18:8)? Indeed! And furthermore, He said this in a context that indicates an expectation that we might not think so at the time (Luke 18:1-8). We might be tempted to think of God like the unjust judge Jesus described in that passage, dismissive of our concerns and reluctant to bother himself with our pleadings. That’s why, after Jesus assured us our Father will avenge His children speedily, He lamented: “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

God creates evil and has a purpose for it to fulfill (Isaiah 45:7). He does not purpose the sin that triggers the evil, but He does guide it to His purpose. The evil He creates is part of His avenging response. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit confronted the evil of sin from the foundation of the world.

In the valley, I knelt in the shadow of the Cross and was confronted with the presence of God, Who delivered His own Son to that evil, specifically to answer Habakkuk’s prayer that he thought was ignored. But let all of us sons of Habakkuk know that long before the prophet cried, “How long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2), yea, from the very foundation of the world, He heard and prepared His “Lamb slain” to take away the sin of the world (Revelation 13:8; 1 John 2:1-2). He knows and answers our needs before we ask (Matthew 6:8): “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

At the table, He assured me again that I need not despair, that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28), and I should remain on message and mission. To that end, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Jesus nodded to goodness and mercy, who quickly moved to either side of my chair as I rose, and followed us into the Harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

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