HABAKKUK

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Habakkuk lived and was active around 612 BCE. He was a prophet whose oracles and prayers are recorded in the Book of Habakkuk, the eighth of the collected twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible. He is revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

The following excerpt is used with permission from Ray Stedman’s website and is titled Prayer’s Delays.

“The name Habakkuk means “embracer,” not in the romantic sense, but in a comforting sense. One of the most distressing problems that human beings have to face is the great question of why God allows certain things to happen.

As you read through the prophecy of Habakkuk you discover the problem Habbakkuk wrestled with and how he eventually found the answer. As a result, Habakkuk became a comforter and embracer of his people in their distress.

Habakkuk lived in a time very similar to our day; a time when everything seemed to be going wrong. There was great national corruption and distress when the nation and the land was filled with violence, hatred and outbreaks of evil. His distress is reflected in the opening phrases of the book Habakkuk 1: 1-4.

One day I was driving through the small Ottawa Valley community of Eganville Ontario when I noticed a message on the billboard of small a church along the side of the road. It was titled: Habakukk Is Not Happy With God.

I was definitely not happy with God at that time in my life. So I immediately turned into the church parking lot to get a closer look at that sign. The thought that immediately came to mind was: What is this small church all about?

The question arose because I had never heard or read an expository message from this book of the Bible.

That sign was a turning point in my life.

A few weeks later (it took me that long to find the courage) I went to the door unannounced and knocked impatiently. A young Pastor opened the door and invited me in.

I questioned him extensively. He was wise for his young years. (This was the first church he pastored after completing his seminary training.)

I was so impressed with his integrity, his kindness and his amazing exposition of the meaning of this Old Testament book.

Yet, it took me over a year to begin attending that church. Backsliders do not readily return to church unless of course, they are compelled by the Holy Spirit, as I had been through seeing that message on the church sign and by the gentle but firm compassion of that young Pastor. It took me a long time to attend a service there, and eventually become a member, yet I’m so glad I did. I was very blessed both before and during by my time there.

Eventually, the young pastor moved away.  A few years later my husband and I also moved away to be closer to family members in another city.

Thank you Kevin, for bringing me back to the Lord! May the Lord reward you and bless you and your family in ways that have both earthly and eternal significance! Thank you also to the loving, kind and fun congregation in that lovely little church!

The following video by David Pawson covers some of what the young pastor and I had discussed. This presentation is by David Pawson, who was a gifted expository preacher and teacher. David is now with his Lord and Saviour.

May you be blessed by this difficult, (yet timely even for our present age) amazingly relevant book from the Old Testament!

Here is a link to some short video clips of the quaint little village of Eganville Ontario that I made shortly before my husband and I retired to Steinbach, Manitoba. Eganville certainly has a very different landscape than the prairies!

Thanks for visiting!