Waiting in Faith

By Ashley Synowicki

This week we read Habakkuk’s response in chapter 1 verses 12-17 to God’s unbelievable news that He was raising up the Chaldeans as a judgment of His own people in Judah. Upon reading, we saw that Habakkuk’s response was not unlike how we would respond ourselves.

Habakkuk asks:

¹² ”Are you not from everlasting,
    O Lord my God, my Holy One?
    We shall not die.
O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment,
    and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.
¹³ You who are of purer eyes than to see evil
    and cannot look at wrong,
why do you idly look at traitors
    and remain silent when the wicked swallows up
    the man more righteous than he?”

Habakkuk describes attributes of God that he knows are true by describing God as everlasting, holy, and his Rock. He uses the term LORD representing Yahweh, describing God as relational and covenant keeping. He also uses the term “My God” acknowledging He is also Elohim, Creator and Mighty God. Habakkuk is humbly asking for answers while simultaneously reminding himself of God’s character. Habakkuk asks with the posture of someone who truly wants to know God more.

In our lesson, we were reminded of the point of view of those who experienced Christ’s crucifixion first hand. From their position all hope was lost when Christ was killed. However, we have the gift of perspective and time. And though it was a very disheartening time, all hope was anything but lost. In fact, Christ’s death was necessary for our reconciliation and salvation. We can now celebrate, due to perspective, something that would not have been possible for those first-hand witnesses .

We are encouraged by this understanding when applying it to both Habakkuk’s questions and our own. Though in the moment it feels as though God is allowing evil to flourish, we can choose to endure through faith trusting this season has a purpose.

At the end of this passage we are not given a clear answer, God is yet to respond to Habakkuk’s questions. So for now, we wait in faith on the one who is both Creator and Father, the lion and the lamb.