Habakkuk 1

I read Habakkuk 1. Verse 2 stands out to me. I feel this verse so strongly. "I cry out to thee 'violence!'" Do I cry violence about the awful situation in Egypt? (for example) Do I cry out to God for help? Do I wonder why God does not respond? Never mind about what congress does or the president does. They cannot really do much. Do I cry out to you God? Now God can really do something. But he seems to hold back.

I know you mourn God over the many faithful Christians being martyred in Egypt right today. And it's not the only place in the world where Christians are being killed. (And God mourns over all religious persecution even if it Moslem on Hindu or even Christian on Jew, for example.) This is just the one that is in the front page news right now. I know you are sad about the many beautiful churches being destroyed in Egypt, some with people in them as they burn. And there are many who are having to flee to become homeless. I am called to be like my master Jesus. Jesus mourns. I should mourn too. That is not natural for me. I work at mourning. But it is not natural for me. I do not mourn with the compassion that God does. DW is much more like Jesus in this. She sees news of all this and is appalled. I cry to God "violence!" God do something!

Verse 4 also hits me hard. The law is ignored. I think we can see that going on today. Though I do not think we are extra special. Still we as a culture are getting selfish and lawless. The verse continues, Justice is never upheld. The wicked surround the righteous and justice comes out perverted. This is so well expressed. It can apply today as it did in Habakkuk's day.

Lord I cry out to you about our country. The description is so good. It is not so much the judge's fault. They really have little control of what is happening. We pervert the laws. We do not act honestly. Justice is impossible when everyone is corrupt. There are not enough laws to keep everything fair when everyone is trying to cheat.

Lord you know. Lord only you know how to administer justice rightly, righteously. God only you. God I cry out for justice in this land. God I ask that you give our leaders wisdom and understanding and the desire to actually do justly and love mercy. God help us to be teachable, to be subject to honest rules. Help us to be law abiding.

The rest of it the chapter goes into the judgment God will bring on the people because they are not righteous and did violence on their neighbor. God could bring that judgment on us too. But it will likely be in a way that we can never predict.