Hennie Symington

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. Habakkuk 3:17-18

Rejoice always: pray continually. 1 Thessalonians. 5:17

The litany of complaints concerning the times we live in is endless. There’s hardly a person you come across who isn’t fed-up with the way things are going – in their marriage, in their job situation, in the country’s affairs, in the state of the world. Of course there’s plenty to complain about. There are wars and uprisings springing up in an already volatile Middle East and terrorists plotting to destroy as many people as they can, while natural disasters such as global warming, floods and earthquakes make us even more anxious. When you watch CNN and BBC, you cannot be blamed for thinking it cannot get worse.

Well, the bad news is, these complaints are nothing new. And if you need reminding of this, read the prophet named Habakkuk who took his complaints right to the top when he demands of the Lord: “How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?”(Habakkuk 1:2a). But does he complain just for the sake of complaining? No, he waits for God’s answer. This was a two-way conversation.

God answered that wickedness would be punished at its appointed time. Meanwhile, “the righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4b). God tells Habakkuk to cling to His promises no matter how dark the days. “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).

Prayer: Lord, when we feel the world closing in on us and we feel trapped and afraid, there is nowhere to turn but you. You are our only help and salvation. Let us not lose hope. Amen