Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

July 29
Sunday


GOD'S DELAYS

READ:
Habakkuk 1:12-2:3
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I will stand my watch
and set myself on the
rampart, and watch to
see what He will say to
me. __Habakkuk 2;1
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Waiting is hard for me. I want answers now. Postponements perplex me; deferrals daunt me. I'm baffled by God's delays, wondering why and when. "How long, O Lord?"

The prophet Habakkuk wanted answers as well, but God chose to take His time. "I will stand my watch ...to see what [God] will say to me," Habakkuk wrote (2:1). "The vision is yet for an appointed time," God replied. "Wait for it; because it will surely come" (v.3).

Faith never gives up. It knows that despite appearances, all is well. It can wait without signs or significant indications that God is at work, because it is sure of Him. "Each delay is perfectly fine, for we are within the safe hands of God," said Madame Guyon (1648-1717).

We too must learn to view each delay as if it were "perfectly fine." Postponements are reasons to pray rather than grow anxious, impatient, and annoyed. They're opportunities for God to build those imperishable but hard-to-acquuire qualities of humility, patience, serenity, and strength. God never says, "Wait awhile," unless He is planning to do something in our situation__or in us. He waits to be gracious.

So take heart! If God's answer tarries, "Wait for it; becuase it will surely come." __David Roper
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Soon shall the morning gild~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The dark horizon rim,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thy heart's desire shall be fulfilled __~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~"Wait patiently for Him." __Havergal~~~~~~~~~~~
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God stretches our patience to enlarge our soul.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Habakkuk 1:12-23***********

12 Are You not from
everlasting, O LORD my
God, my Holy One? We
shall not die. O LORD, You
have appointed them for
judgment; O Rock You, have
marked them for correction.
13 You are of purer eyes than
to behold evil, and cannot
look on wickedness. Why do
You look on those who deal
treacherously, and hold Your
tongue when the wicked
devours a person more
righteous than he? 14 Why
do You make men like fish
of the sea, like creeping
things that have no ruler
over them? 15 They take up
all of them with a hook, they
catch them in their net, and
gather them in their dragnet.
Therefore they rejoice and
are glad. 16 Therefore they
sacrifice to their net, and
burn incense to their
dragnet; because by them
their share is sumptuous and
their food plentiful. 17 Shall
they therefore empty their
net, and continue to slay
nations without pity?


1 I will stand my watch and
set myself on the rampart,
and watch to see what He
will say to me, and what I
will answer when I am
corrected.
2 Then the LORD answered
me and said: "Write the
vision and make it plain on
tablets, that he may run who
reads it. 3 For the vision is
yet for an appointed time;
but at the end it will speak,
and it will not lie. though it
tarries, wait for it; because it
will surely come, it will not
tarry."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The book of Habakkuk is a diologue between Habakkuk and God.
The prophet asks why God doesn't punish the evil in Judah (1:2-4).
God replies: The Babylonians will punish Judah (1:5-11). But how
can a holy God use an evil nation? (1:12-2:1). God replies: I will
punish the Babylonians and reward the faithful (2:2-20). __SKT