I will climb up to my watchtower
and stand at my guardpost.
There I will wait to see what the Lord says
Habakkuk 2:1 (NLT)
Prayer can be so complicated can’t it? On one hand we know that we should pray but then we ask ourselves Why do I need to pray if God already knows everything? What’s the point if he has a plan? An outcome? And then, sometimes we pray and we don’t really get an answer…..for a long time. Did God even hear me?
Habakkuk had the same questions. Throughout his book he talks about it. See if some of his questions and God’s answers don’t mimic what we experience.
In the first chapter Habakkuk asks “How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen!” And God responds I am doing something! “For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” Basically, he is saying just because you can’t see it yet, that doesn’t mean I am not working.
Habakkuk ponders what God says and then complains that maybe God’s plan is too much. Are you going to kill us? Wait! (Maybe this is why God doesn’t tell us his plans in advance.)
Habakkuk then understands that God always answers. And he says that he is going to wait for God’s answer. He is going to anticipate it with his actions (2:1).
And finally, Habakkuk realizes that God is always there. He is always at work for his people. He begins to praise God and worship him.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights. (3:18-19)
So many times we question God and his way. Prayer is not so we can get what we want. Prayer is so we can draw close and experience God. It is so we can get a small glimpse of who he is. He does answer our prayers. Sometimes not the way we want or in the timing we want but he always answers. The true gift is in knowing that he will and learning just a little more about him every time we lift our hearts toward him.