No Mountain Too High

I have to admit that there are some books of the Bible that I'll often read while skipping over others. Some of the Old Testament books like Leviticus are skipped for more exciting books like the gospels. I recently read the book of Habakkuk and was amazed at the faith of Habakkuk. God had brought hard times upon Israel as judgment for sin and to draw them back into right relationship. Habakkuk begins with a prayer, "Lord, how long must I pray and you do not listen?" Have you ever felt like you hit a brick wall that you cannot go through? Perhaps circumstances of mountainous portions that you cannot go through? If so, you can identify with Habakkuk. While the whole book is worthy of reading and meditating on, I want to draw your attention to the last few verses of Habakkuk. Judgment came on Israel in the form of another nation's rampage. Habakkuk found himself waiting for the day judgment would be over and God would make all things right. Habakkuk had patience (3.16). He waited for God to do what only God can do. Patience. So often we speak and act too soon. If only we could be patient and wait on God, for He will speak and act in His timing, and when He does, it will be bring life and hope. Due to the invading nation, Israel was devastated. Crops failed, flocks and herds gone. Homes destroyed. Businesses gone. Notice what Habakkuk says in 3.17-18 "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, yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior." What is the root of your joy? If it is in anything of the world- food on the table and pantry full, homes to sleep in and clothes in your closet, cars in the garage and gas in the tanks, jobs to go to and money in the bank, kids all accounted for and dog in the pen. Yet all of these things can be taken away, and someday will be. If our joy comes from our possessions, we'll be devastated when they disappear. Habakkuk saw it all disappear, yet he wasn't in despair nor did he lose his joy, for his joy was in the Lord God. God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good. We can rejoice in who God is or we can complain about what we have or do not have in life. Joy is a choice, and when everything is taken away, we can still choose to rejoice in our God. Verse 19 "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights." We can pray for God to move mountains but sometimes God doesn't remove the mountains. In those times when God leaves the mountains, He gives us His strength and He enables us to go over the mountains instead. Sometimes the things we learn about God and faith are learned best when we have to go up and over the mountains of life. God is faithful and He is our help, our strength and He will see us through to the peaceful valley on the other side. Keep praying and waiting, rejoicing and climbing, for we belong to the Lord God who helps us and will one day make all things right. Blessings, Pastor Pete