Verse for the day…11-28-2011

Precious Are His photo by Candy Clonts

I have been away again…): Going and sitting down at my computer has been difficult. I have been “caught up” in other things the past several days and my mind and body has been spent. If you notice most of the posts are made in the evening/night. This is time I spend with you and I don’t rob my family time. Family time is important to me. It is also good to get with you all on this side of life also…I look forward to it.

Habakkuk 3:17-19
¹⁷ Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: ¹⁸ Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. ¹⁹ The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. 

 The Lord is good to us. Amen!

You bet He is.

There are so many times we see what is front of us, we can’t see what the Lord is trying to do in us and for us. Habakkuk and God’s people had just lost their seasons and much of the year’s income for them. That hurt. It was a devastating situation. Lose hurts. Physical or material loses hurt. These things affect different people in different ways. Some get discouraged. Some get angry. Some seek whom they may blame. Some get depressed. Some will lose all hope…and feel life is not worth living, so they take their lives….Oh so very sad. Much like the old saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” we are so caught up in what we think we are seeing we don’t take the time to see what is really there. God’s beauty and splendor is right in front of us, we just can’t see it. Sometimes we don’t want to see it, we are too overwhelmed by what we believe we are seeing…..

God took all this from Habakkuk and His people for a reason. What? What was so important to take everything away? To get their attention.

Why couldn’t the Lord get their attention some other way? the Lord tried but His people would not listen. One way or another God will get our attention. We wonder why He goes to such extremes. It is because He loves us.

After the Trial of Fire-HOPE-NEW GROWTH photo by Candy Clonts

The Lord loves us! He loved Habakkuk and His people here. God had spoken to them for a long time. As a whole He still is speaking to them. We know God had Habakkuk’s attention. We can tell by the last two verses here in this passage…”yet I will rejoice, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” “He will make my feet like hinds feet.” Habakkuk was expressing how the Lord was going to take and show him places and things he had never been before, this brought joy to Habakkuk’s heart. Habakkuk also knew God would turn sorrow into joy. (Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.    Jeremiah 31:1-3  At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. ² Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. ³ The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. )

The Lord loves us so, He will go to any lengths to cause us to see His love for us. Habakkuk had faith in the Lord, through all the trial and difficulties….to say the least. He trusted and believed the Lord for the best for God’s people and himself.

Habakkuk’s faith is revealed in the joy and rejoicing he shows, even-though everything seems to be lost. Habakkuk’s faith took him beyond the circumstances of the trial and into a spiritual realm of joy unspeakable, in honoring his Lord.

Let us have this same attitude as we go through trials and difficulties. The Lord is the same God yesterday, today and forever….always drawing us to Himself and loving us. BUT are we listening? Are we standing firm in our faith knowing the Lord is able, no matter what? God is able…Do you believe that?

I trust you will see the hope in Christ as you receive the grace He supplies for you in every given situation.

God bless you as you trust and seek Him for your situations today. I love you and pray for you.