Why Doesn't God Do Something

Wrestling with God when he doesn't make sense.

Habakkuk 1:2-3 How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight.

There is always trouble in our world but there have been decades of peace and prosperity that have drawn people to the conclusion that the world is getting better and better. But then there are moments when that perception gets shattered and it become obvious that we have no right to think that way.

During those long periods of suffering it's very common to wonder why God doesn't step in and end the suffering or maybe you get the idea that this is the end of the world and nothing will ever get better again.

Sometimes suffering is about judgement for our sins, in the days of the Old Testament prophets it certainly was, God's people must have thought that he wouldn't judge them too harshly because they were his chosen. Before the chosen people took possession of the Promised Land they were warned that the people that they were displacing were not pleasing God and if Israel made the wrong choice they would suffer similar consequences. (Deuteronomy 28:1-68)

The people of the southern kingdom already know the warnings that the northern kingdom had, they saw them ignore the prophets and they saw the consequences as they fell to the Assyrians, and on top of that the southern kingdom also ignored their own prophets.

Habakkuk seems to know that there isn't any hope that they won't be punished or that there is a possibility of revival, he doesn't plead with the people to change their ways, he seems to know that God is going to step in and judge them.

God's man feels the burden of sin that is all around, Habakkuk cry's out to God to let him know how long this situation is going to last, he hopes that all of this will come to an end soon but he fears that the Lord isn't listening. What burden can be heavier than this, to see evil prevail among God’s people, and to be unable to do anything about it?

Habakkuk asks God why he isn't doing something to make the world better, we all seem to have this longing, it's like we know that we were made for a better world.  The man of God was right to go to God with his difficult questions but when God replies it makes it even more difficult for Habakkuk to understand.

God answers: "I am doing something!"

Habakkuk 1:5-6 The LORD replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it. 6 I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and violent people. They will march across the world and conquer other lands.

Habakkuk 1:12-13 O LORD my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal— surely you do not plan to wipe us out? O LORD, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us, to punish us for our many sins. 13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?

Habakkuk was looking at the events happening around him but God tells him that he needs to expand his view and get the big picture. God is doing something about the sin that Habakkuk is weary of seeing but when God gives him the details Habakkuk is shocked.

God makes it clear that he is the one that is raising the Babylonians to power for his purpose but Habakkuk cannot understand why God would use a notoriously greater evil to reprimand his own people. It seemed right when God told the Israelite's to kill the people so that they could take the Promised Land, those were evil people, but this seems to be wrong. Man's wisdom says that God should punish the worst people first and work his way down the list to the next most evil people.

Habakkuk cannot understand why God is going to allow things to get worse but he gives no hint that he believes that he can walk away from God. Habakkuk has to decide to trust God, just like a child that cannot understand his parents answer, all he needs to understand is that God is working out his plan in every moment of world history.

The consequences of the rebellion of God's people looks like bad news. There was a lot of suffering and many people died but God's plan for the world was being fulfilled in all of these events. Because of hundreds of years of exile, suffering and persecution, God's people are dispersed all around the known world at that time. These people surely didn't understand why they were so far from home but it was all a part of God's plan.

Because there were so many Jews living outside of Palestine that maintained their religious observances and customs among the Gentiles it made a huge difference in the spread of Christianity. God fearing Gentiles that learned about God from the dispersed Jews were the first converts to Christianity in the book of Acts.

Justice Out Of Injustice, Salvation Out Of Judgement

Acts 13:41 Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.

What Habakkuk couldn't comprehend looking forward in hind sight Paul gets it and he uses it in his sermon. First he shared with the crowd about the injustice and the undeserved suffering of Jesus (Acts 13:26-30) then he shares about the justice that came out of that injustice and the salvation that came out of judgement. (Acts 13:38-41)

Jesus was the ultimate Habakkuk, his heart broke over the sin that was all around him, he was the ultimate man of sorrows, he was truly abandoned and yet he was faithful in evil times.

God brought our ultimate good out of the ultimate of dark times. When I don't understand the injustice, the sin and suffering around me I need to look at the cross as the ultimate example of dark times happening to someone that didn't deserve it. And it was all for my benefit!

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The Just Shall Live By Faith (desiringgod.org)
What does the Bible mean when it refers to the Diaspora? (gotquestions.org)
A World of Evil and Suffering (cru.org)
Book of Habakkuk (diggingtheword.blogspot.com)

The God Who Sees Me

Blessings aren't reserved for people that work hard and think they deserve them!

Genesis 16:8-9,13 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. 9 The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”

13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”

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Everything is going really good for Hagar ever since she met Abram, she met him while he was visiting Egypt because of the famine in Canaan, what a joy it must have been to live in the household of a man that God has chosen to bless, a lowly slave girl couldn't ask for a better household to work for.

Hagar may have felt that she was blessed even more when she was chosen as the surrogate mother for Abram's child. Maybe she thought that Sarai would be cast aside like so many other barren women were so that she could be the wife. How delighted she must have been to be chosen, she knew all of the stories about the promised child, all of the great wealth, the real estate and the blessing that he would be to the whole world.

Hagar's stinking thinking led to a stinking attitude, she become arrogant and proud, Sarai responded by becoming defensive and passed the blame to Abram who in turn reminded Sarai that Hagar was just a slave girl and she could treat her any way she wanted and so she did. (Genesis 16:4-6, Proverbs 30:21-23)

The results of Abram and Sarai's sins against Hagar became so bad that she runs away in desperation. At first she thought that she was receiving a blessing but now it seems more like a curse. Hagar knew that Abram’s God loved him but did he love a lowly Gentile slave girl? How could her future look so bright and now she is unmarried pregnant, all alone and without a home?

Psalms 34:18  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

God comes to Hagar to answer her questions but first he has some questions for her. It may seem strange that God would ever ask anybody a question, but he isn't trying to get information about Hagar's situation, God uses questions as a friendly way to start a conversation.

Doing anything without God's approval always complicates things, Sarai and Abram were out of God's will when they took this crazy plan to Hagar and then when their plan gets messy Hagar makes a bad choice and runs away.

It reminds me of the time that Abram ran to Egypt because of the famine in Canaan, God never told him to go, maybe he was supposed to stay in Canaan and allow God to provide for him there. If he had not gone to Egypt then he wouldn't have Hagar in his household and maybe this situation would have never happened. (The School of Faith)

God wanted Hagar to go back to the situation that she was running from with a new attitude, instead of being arrogant she needs to go back to the way it used to be. Hagar must return to her role as a servant and be submissive even if Sarai's attitude isn't any better.

Psalms 147:3  He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

God promised Hagar that she would be blessed, her son would not be a slave, he will be prosperous and he would also be the father of a great nation. I think that it's interesting that Ishmael eventually had twelve sons but his brother Isaac only had two, it would be Jacob that would have the twelve sons that comprise the tribes of Israel. (Genesis 25:13-15)

Hagar wouldn’t have seen the Lord if it hadn’t been for her trial and she wouldn't know that he sees her. Many people believe that God is watching what they do but they don't understand that he is seeing them through the eyes of love even when we are disobedient.

God saw the bad things that happened to her and her inappropriate response, he also saw the hurt and loneliness that caused her to run in despair and he saw her tears. Despite all of this sin she was seen by God with love and he promised grace, mercy and blessings.

Isaiah 66:2  My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.

What a message of hope for all of God's children! We won't be perfect until that day when he takes us away from here but we don't have to be! God's blessings aren't reserved for the ones that work real hard and think they deserve them!

Sometimes our circumstances are our own fault, sometimes they are a result of somebody else, but God can take our messy circumstances and use them for his glory and for our blessing. I need to be a humble servant and be submissive in my circumstances no matter how hard it seems.

I need to see myself the way that God sees me
You cannot celebrate your rescue if you don't see you as God sees you. When you truly realize who you are in Christ you will resist the lies that Satan wants to plant in your head.

I need to see others the way God sees me
You cannot help others find their rescue if you don't see them with the way that God sees you. They will be amazed when you love them the way that you have experienced God's love to you.

Thank you God for seeing me with love and compassion despite my mistakes. Thank you for loving me so much that you were willing to give your son so that I will receive eternal blessings! Help me to remember that you don't need my help to accomplish your promises and your plans.

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Involved With Our World

We need to have the appropriate reaction to injustice. 

Genesis 13:9-11 The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I'll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I'll go to the left."

10 Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram.

Genesis 14:11-12 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and headed for home, taking with them all the spoils of war and the food supplies. 12 They also captured Lot--Abram's nephew who lived in Sodom--and carried off everything he owned.

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Abram's faith has grown since he first began his journey, he has already learned some important lessons in the "School of Faith" that will help him deal with yet another difficult situation. Our faith should never get any rest, the challenges that come from circumstances, places and things will give it plenty of chances to grow if we choose to use it.

After separating from Lot, God renews his promise to give Abram the land, even after all of his mistakes in Egypt, God reaffirms his promise that all of the land would still belong to Abram and his descendants even after Abram gave away some of the land to Lot. (Genesis 13:14-18)

As their story continues to unfold we will see that there was more than just a physical separation between Abram and Lot, there was also a spiritual separation, you can see the difference in the choices that they make. Lot's choices will be a source of trouble for him and for Abram.

Lot was a friend of the world and he was enticed by it's pleasures when he was given a choice of real estate, perhaps the good times that he experienced back in Egypt was still on his mind when he chose the land next to Sodom.

Abram was living in the country minding his own business when he got the news about his nephew. Lot was enjoying his new home until he unwittingly became involved in a political situation that cost him everything.

1 John 2:15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

We can't blame all of our trials on ourselves but for Lot it is very true that his choices brought him a bunch of trouble. Lot will continue to make bad choices even after Abram saved him from exile. (Genesis 19:1-38)

Abram's response to the situation that his nephew was in is a great lesson on how we should respond to the injustice that is all around us.

Isolation

It is so easy to look at the situation and wonder why the person thought things would go any better than they did. Sometimes we think they got exactly what they deserved, they were corrupt, they made bad choices, and they deserve whatever happens. Lot would have to suffer the consequences of his bad choices if Abram decided to not get involved.

Identification

Abram has identified himself as a man of God and there was no going back to his old ways. Abram couldn't identify himself with that old way of thinking and he couldn't adopt the immoral lifestyle of the people of Sodom.

Involvement

Abram struggled with how to be in the world but not of it, he couldn't isolate himself and ignore the problem, he needed to address the injustice in the world around him but he had to do so without being identified as a part of the world.

Involvement without compromise is not easy, this is the same problem that the church has had to deal with through the ages, the injustice around us begs for our compassion. Great people that do not share our values may work right by our side to make the world a better place but there has to be a distinct difference between God's children and the rest of the world.

Matthew 5:6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

God's children should have a longing deep inside to see everything made right. We should hunger and thirst to see the world come closer to it's original condition before sin. Injustice should bother us more than it does the rest of the world.

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Jesus Children Are Overcomers

Trouble is going to happen but it isn't the end of my story.

John 16:29-33 Then His disciples said, “At last You are speaking plainly and not figuratively. 30 Now we understand that You know everything, and there’s no need to question You. From this we believe that You came from God.”

31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32 But the time is coming–indeed it’s here now–when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me.

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

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The fact that you have the technology to see this blog post says that you probably have a very comfortable life. The odds are that you probably live in a culture that offers you a comfortable lifestyle and instant everything.

But none of the toys and conveniences that are so abundant can guarantee you an easy life. There is heartache and misery all around, some of you have had a miserable existence, people that you loved and trusted have let you down, friendless, beat up and unloved, you find yourself all alone and hopeless.

That is the kind of people that Jesus had around him during his stay on earth, His people were beat-up and tired, they had been raided and pushed around by foreign governments, they were being used by their own religious leaders, His people were desperate and He was sad for them. (Matthew 9:36, 11:28-29, 15:32, Luke 7:13, 19:41, John 11:35)

Jesus Was A Man Of Sorrows
Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Imagine coming to live here after being in Heaven for all of eternity past, imagine starting life over as a child, a child that is fully God but also fully man. Suddenly you feel pain, hunger and you require sleep just like everybody else yet, you are also God.

When Christ came into the world the first sound He heard was woe-the wail of those mothers in Bethlehem; and from the manger to the Cross, He was surrounded with sorrow.

-Dwight L. Moody 

Imagine leaving the perfection of the best place ever to come to a broken world so that you can go head to head with your worst enemy. What would it be like to know that you were here to die for people that don’t like you and for friends that would turn their back and run? (John 13:37-38)

Jesus gave up a lot to come and be “God with us” but he didn’t show any sorrow about what he lost by leaving Heaven. The main source of his sorrow was for the condition of mankind and the fact that His people rejected the only hope that could ever help.

Jesus Disciples Overcome
1 John 5: 4-5 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Followers of Jesus have the big picture, their immediate circumstances are not the end of the story, the trials and sorrows that they have today isn’t how it is always going to be. Jesus told the disciples that you will have these troubles but don’t let it get you down because He has overcome the world.

God is still governing this world, don’t let the daily battle get you down and cause you too much grief, there aren’t any term limits on God’s reign. He is in charge of the circumstances around us and He always will be. What we see as chaos isn’t a surprise or a source of concern to him.

This is not my home, and I will never feel perfectly at peace and perfectly comfortable here but I must continue to the the good works that He has planned or me to do until the day I die and overcome this world just as Jesus did.

Christian vs Christian

You shouldn't have to wear boxing gloves to church.

Romans 14:4, 10-13  Who are you to condemn someone else's servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer?

Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.  11  For the Scriptures say, "'As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to Me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God. '"  12  Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.  13  So let's stop condemning each other.

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Every organization has it's share of division and strife among the people that are in the group. Whether it is in the military, a social group or a workplace, there is going to be conflict.

That shouldn't be true of the church but unfortunately it is not any better inside the body of Christ. There have always been divisions and fighting despite the fact that Jesus prayed for us to get along with each other and serve each other and to be united together just the same as he is united with God the Father. (John 17:21)

I have never slowed down and allowed this verse to sink in. It is stuck in the middle of a bunch of verses about whether the Gentile believers should stick to the dietary restrictions that the Jews observed under the law. The verse is Romans 14:4 "Who are you to condemn someone else's servants?"

The first thought that came to mind is that I am a servant of God. I am just a slave, I do not have any rights, my life has been redeemed by Jesus and therefore it belongs to him. Since he has purchased me he has all rights to me and my life should be spent making sure that I am pleasing my master.

Second thought that comes to mind is that I am surrounded by other servants of God that he has also redeemed and none of those other servants around me are answerable to me. I don't have any rights and I don't have any authority. As a fellow slave, I have no power or any right to have another slave give an account for his actions.

What if the other servants are doing what God has told them to do? Why am I putting them down? So what if they are not pleasing me when it comes to stuff that isn't an essential part of the gospel. There is one Lord, one Holy Spirit and one God and I am not any of them.

James 4:12  God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

Jesus had the right to walk around this planet and point his finger at everybody that he saw that was wrong and condemn all of them but instead the main characteristic of his life was love. It was love that drew people to him. Without love the gospel doesn't have any power and instead of drawing people in to Jesus we will drive them away.

Help me Lord to be less like the devil with his judging personality and help me to grow more like my loving redeemer.

Excuse Me, Coming Through

Just passing through on my way to glory.

1 Peter 2:11-12  Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.  12  Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world.

1 Peter 1:17  And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time as "foreigners in the land."

Philippians 3:20  But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.

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Going home is something to look forward to with great excitement. It means that the work day is finished or a vacation is over and you get to relax. As good as going home is here on this planet it isn't anything like the home that we will go to some day in glory.

God's children know that Jesus went back to his home in heaven to prepare the place for us (John 14:2-3, Hebrews 11:16), what a glorious place that must be, as wonderful as our world is, it only took six days to create it so just think how amazing heaven will be after all this time that Jesus has been gone.

The best description of heaven is found in Revelation 21-22. It is a place without suffering, a place that won't have any tears (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17), a place without hospitals where all of the people that live there will have brand new bodies (2 Corinthians 5:1-8) and a place without graveyards or funerals. In heaven there won't be any sin, suffering, sorrow, or pain and we will never do anything to displease God.

Choose which kingdom you love

1 John 2:15-17  Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  16  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.  17  And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

This world has a lot of beauty and it has a lot of cool toys and good times but none of those things should be our true love. If I love this world and it's pleasures and begin to allow it's pleasures to rule my life instead of God then those worldly desires will start to change my thinking and I will start to look just like the people of this world instead of the people in the new world. The people that are citizens of the land that I am going to behave differently and I should look like them.

The Bible cautions us that the love for the world is in conflict with our love for God, they cannot coexist, it is a contradiction to say that I love the sinful pleasures of this world and that I love God and what he loves.

I need to love like God loves, the only thing that I am to love in this world is people, they are the only thing of this world that I can take to my new home in glory. I need to tell as many people as i can so that they can go to God's eternal home that he has made for me. (John 5:28-29, 2 Peter 3:10)