I Will Wait…

Habakkuk 3:12
In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed the nations.
Habakkuk 3:13
You came out to deliver your people,
to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
you stripped him from head to foot.
Habakkuk 3:16
I heard and my heart pounded,
my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.

Habakkuk has a dialogue with God. The entire book of Habakkuk is a dialogue between God and the prophet. Chapter 3 is the end of the book. In Chapter 3 Habakkuk sees a vision of God coming to the rescue of His people.

God is omnipresent. God is everywhere all the time. Yet for purposes of explaining how God saves His people, we get this imagery. God’s people are held in captivity being tortured. No one can break into the captivity of their suffering to help them. Then suddenly Habakkuk sees God from a distance taking large strides across the oceans and across the earth. God seems to be walking in a hurry rushing somewhere. Everyone’s attention is on God and where He is going. God goes to where Israelites are held in captivity. God breaks in. God beats up the captors of His people. God strips them naked from head to toe. The violence God meted out on the captors puts fear in Habakkuk. The vision of God coming to save His people comforts Habakkuk. Habakkuk concludes that even though he is suffering now, he will wait for God to save him. I will wait…

God gives this vision to comfort His people in their suffering. A picture of God coming to their rescue. God always comes to the rescue of His people. He came to rescue Adam and Eve as guilt ravaged them after eating the forbidden fruit. He came to rescue Hagar in the desert after Sarah chased her. David testifies that it is God who always showed up to rescue him from lions and bears. He rescued Peter who was sinking in the sea and saved him from drowning. He rescued disciples who had caught nothing in a whole night of fishing, by enabling them to get more than enough fish. God always comes to the rescue of His people. Therefore Habakkuk says that even if the suffering is too much, he will wait for God to show up. I will wait…

Where are you seated suffering? Are you in captivity of poverty, disease, stress, etc.? Which situation has imprisoned you? In your suffering have a vision and picture of God taking large strides coming to your rescue. In your trouble have a mental picture that by faith is true and real. Visualize God coming to your rescue. Like Habakkuk, you will also draw a conclusion after that vision. Though I am suffering and in trouble, yet I will wait because I can see in my vision that God is coming to my rescue. I will wait…

The situation is getting worse but I will wait. It is degenerating but I will wait. The worst has happened but I will wait. I am surrounded but I will wait. I am registering loss but I will wait. I am embarrassed and ashamed but I will wait. I am currently branded a failure but I will wait. There is no cure but just a matter of time, but I will wait. I do not see how I will be saved from this situation, it seems irreversible, but I will wait. I will wait…

Waiting means I have faith in God. Waiting means I do not give up. Waiting means I remain optimistic. Waiting means I trust God to come through. Waiting means even if I die, I have hope of resurrection and a better life after this life. Waiting means I know God has a good plan even in this bad situation. Waiting is not being Idle. Waiting means I keep working and improving even if results are not encouraging. Waiting is not giving up and hoping for free things. Waiting is working hard, praying, doing exercises, studying, taking medication, etc., even when it seems efforts in futility. I will wait…

Dear God, I am waiting…Remind me that You are walking across oceans and the earth coming to my rescue. Remind me that at the right time You will save me and us. Teach me to wait while doing something. Enable me to wait. I will wait, in Jesus’ name, Amen!