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1 The problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it: 2 God, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen? How many times do I have to yell, "Help! Murder! Police!" before you come to the rescue? 3 Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day? Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place.4 Law and order fall to pieces. Justice is a joke. The wicked have the righteous hamstrung and stand justice on its head. God Says, "Look!" 1 What's God going to say to my questions? I'm braced for the worst. I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon. I'll wait to see what God says, how he'll answer my complaint. 2 And then God answered: "Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. 3 This vision-message is a witness pointing to what's coming. It aches for the coming - it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It's on its way. It will come right on time. 4 "Look at that man, bloated by self-importance - full of himself but soul-empty. But the person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive. (Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 The Message)
Me: Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I tried writing a devotional while watching the last game of the World Series, fully aware that my team would lose. I could not concentrate on either, and the thoughts in my head and heart did not correspond to my calling to be a Christian and a pastor. It's like I am the ancient prophet Habakkuk! I want to do right, but I keep seeing wrong, at least in my opinion. I'm not at the point of shouting, "Help! Murder! Police!" but I did want to yell out the names of those who could have done a better job pitching than the ones A. J. was putting in.
Me: Forgive me Readers, for I have sinned against you. It's quiet now. I reviewed my calendar for tomorrow and realized a free breakfast I was to have here in Seguin isn't until next week. I have prayed and asked God to forgive me and for Him to give me the words I need to share with you all about what I believe this passage means. In a way I already have. The mind of a preacher and a prophet, being human minds, do get distracted by earthly things. And yes, it is difficult at times to pray and listen when one wants to scream and shout. The old prophet stood on his tower and saw all that was going on around him by his own people; people called to be priests acting like punks. It felt like his prayers hit a ceiling that didn't allow them to get to Heaven. The more he prayed, the worse it got. It was every one for their own wants and desires. And still the prophet walked the tower, praying, waiting, looking, and asking, "How can we have faith during troubled times?"
And he wasn't upset over a baseball game, as I'm struggling to do as well. I thank God I have a wife who knows better and speaks to me about it. And like the prophet I have the same God who speaks to our minds, hearts, and spirits the words that transcend time; write the words of faith in letters big enough that those walking by you and your phone can see what you are reading; that God's answer is coming, and in our case, has come in Jesus. Yes, not all things are as we would like them to be, but our hope continues to be in God. Wait. It's on its way. It will come in God's time. Those who think they are self-important, but in truth, who are "soul-empty" will not find what they truly need. Yet the ones who stand right before God will realize they are fully alive, truly alive because they are right with God.
Our faith stands with us in troubled and good times. Our faith does not depend on what our neighbor is doing or not doing; our faith depends on our standing right and living right before God. The world around us may be shaken and moved, but we will not. God always sees us through.
Dear Friend, thank you for being a faithful reader of ConCafe. Thank you for your prayers for me, and for those who ask prayers from us. I saw my ophthalmologist yesterday morning, and as a birthday gift, the cataract in my left eye decided to grow a bit since last year and in six months he will check me again to see if I need to have it removed. Once it is out of the way, he may get a clearer look at the macular puckering going on behind it. Please pray for me. I also request you pray a prayer of thanksgiving for Mrs. Laurel Bradford, wife of The Rev. Scott Bradford of FUMC-San Angelo, who underwent successful surgery. Pray for her recovery. Pray for one another. Pray for yourselves.
PRAYER: Loving God, as we pray, speak to our listening hearts about our condition and need. Bring us light and direction. We pray for our sister Laurel as she recovers, thanking You that the surgery went well and she is home now. Bless Scott as he cares for her. We pray for anyone, anywhere who is hurting or ill. We pray for those places around us where we sense what the prophet from today's reading saw, heard, and experienced. We pray we might speak a word of peace to all; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be prophetic in your words to those who have yet to hear any.
Blessings of love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
