Habakkuk 3:16-19 - I heard and my inward parts trembled, At the sound my lips quivered.  Decay enters my bones, And in my place I tremble.  Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, For the people to arise who will invade us.

Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls,

Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.

God knew I would need these verses, so He taught me about the Book of Habakkuk soon after I was saved.  Then years later, He opened up these verses for me, at a time when I needed them most.

Sandy and I had just lost our third child in three years, and a friend had arranged for us to have a week at a refuge for hurting pastors, in eastern Tennessee.  We took our three-month-old son, Tim, and stayed in a second-floor apartment in a house owned by a pastor and his wife, who ministered to us that week.

One of the books in the apartment was a commentary on the Book of Habakkuk, written by a woman who had dealt with some personal problems.  I found the book very comforting in my situation, particularly, these last four verses.

I realized, as Habakkuk, did, that trials in our lives are designed to draw us closer to God, not for us to push away.  When we have nothing else in this world, God is always there for us, and it is important for us to turn to Him.

Habakkuk looked at the loss of everything material, not only for him, but for the people of Israel. With no figs, no grapes, no olives, and no grain, there would be nothing to eat but their animals.  Without the animals, there would be no work done, and nothing produced.  I had to add, “and though God take all my children.”

I realized I must rely on God and His strength, my salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, and I couldn’t wallow in pity and self-doubt.  It was important to walk in God’s high places, and not in my low places, the valley of the shadow of death.

Habakkuk asked two questions of God, for which he received quick answers.  That’s why Habakkuk is only three chapters!  God didn’t answer Job’s questions until the 40th chapter, so it’s a much longer story!

Habakkuk asked God what He was going to do about the evil that surrounded him in Israel, where the people were chasing after other gods.  God told him that He would punish them by sending the Babylonians to over-run the country.  

Habakkuk was appalled by this, sharing that the Babylonians were much worse than the people they were called on to punish.  God, said, “I know, and I have plans for their punishment as well.  But, you must be patient.”

So, Habakkuk, knowing he was to endure the punishment of his own people, decided to patiently wait, trusting God for the outcome.

I don’t know if Habakkuk was able to see the punishment of the Babylonians in his life-time.  I am aware that 40 years later, I can look back at my own circumstances, and praise God that I trusted Him, instead of leaning on my own understanding.  I have learned to acknowledge Him in all my ways, allowing Him to direct my paths.

Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.