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The Israelites, the people of God, experienced their fair share of waiting in the Bible. All the way Genesis, we see that God has a plan for the salvation of his people through his Son Jesus. But that Savior does not immediately come. The people of God must wait for the arrival of the Messiah – the one who will save them. Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites find mountaintop moments where God is rescuing and redeeming them. But the also have moments in the valley: times of slavery and captivity, and the need for repentance. And in the middle, there is time of waiting.
In these times, God sends people to proclaim his message to the people of Israel. These are the Prophets. They call the people of God to turn from their sin and repent. Their message is a call of one to continually return to the Lord, their God. One of these Prophets is a man named Habakkuk. Habakkuk was a prophet in a time where there was violence and injustice against the Israelites. The word of God had been neglected, their leadership was corrupt, and Habakkuk was waiting for God to do something about this injustice against Israel.
He cries out to God and says “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and will you not hear? Or cry out to you ‘Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity and why do you idly look at wrong… For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.” (Habakkuk 1:2-4). Habakkuk was impatient of waiting to see God at work. He was fed up and wanted God to do something. God’s answer back to Habakkuk is one that we all need to be reminded of in our times of waiting: “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” (1:5). God was telling Habakkuk that he needed to be patient. The work that God was doing for the Israelites would one day make sense.
How often have we felt like Habakkuk? We want to see God at work now instead of waiting for his plan to come into focus. But Habakkuk continued to have a persistent faith in the Lord. When the waiting was too difficult and seemed like it would never end, he returned to the Lord to find guidance and patience. The Lord is faithful to us in our times of waiting. He doesn’t get frustrated with our impatience or abandon us when we cry out to him. He reminds us that he is our God and is the one in control. When we remember who God is, our waiting becomes less about being impatient and more about trusting the one who is in control over all things.
The author of Psalm 33 writes “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” (33:20-22). We wait with trust and hope in the one who is in control.
Discussion Questions
- What is something that you are waiting for God to do in your life?
- Share a Bible verse that helps you in your time of waiting.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, be with us as we wait for the plans that you have established for us. Give us patience in difficult times and hope to trust in you. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you; Through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen
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