It's what we all want as we cross off these pandemic days, marching to the end of summer. Answers to our questions. How long? Why? What is the cure? Will there be a vaccine? How can I cope? Will my family make it through? It seems that none of our questions can be answered in a simple way, and the unanswered uncertainties just lead to more nagging doubt about who we can trust in our community, our country and our world.
As opposed to taking a passive approach to his situation (which I am often inclined to do), Habakkuk was full of questions for God. Troubled by the evil of his times, he was burdened with the chaos of life and had no hesitation in filing his complaints.
"How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" (1:2)
"Why do you make me watch this injustice?" (1:3)
"Why do you tolerate wrong?"(1:3)
And God proceeds to tell his prophet that he wants him to look beyond the present. Yes, things were miserable. And they were going to get much worse. But God was working behind the scenes to bring about "something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told (1:5).
Habakkuk climbs up on the watchtower to wait, expecting God to answer him in the midst of all the ruins around him. And God gives Habakkuk a vision of power and destruction that truly was hard for him to believe. I suppose it took a little time to process, but Habakkuk then responds with a song. His prophesy closes with those famous lines from 3:17-18 - "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord...The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights."
And I could mirror that by saying:
though the summer is too hot, and the garden is wilting,
though there is no slowing down of this pandemic and no cure in sight,
though none of know what is best for schools and churches and businesses,
though we are a country in a mess, yet I will rejoice in the Lord who is working behind the scenes
in our cities, in our medical world, in our political world, and over our beautiful world.
He enables me to keep on going. It is enough.
I once quoted a writer who said to pray for God to make us who and what we should be while in the midst of these tough times. She said to pray that we can live within our many afflictions for however long they last, knowing we are held and sheltered by the Lord who protects us. (LB Cowan)
Find a watchtower............and wait. It's so hard.
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