How Long, O Lord, How Long?

I would guess that the first thought most people have about a prophet is someone who predicts the future. That is not the primary role of any of the prophets of the Old Testament. When they do predict the future it is usually a warning; if they do not change their ways something will happen. The role of the prophets in the Old Testament was to announce God’s word to God’s people. One of the surprising parts of their story is that we have any record of their words at all. The prophets spoke the words God told them to say. Think of Jonah. He did not write anything. In fact, his book is mostly about his attempt to avoid speaking God’s word to Nineveh. When he spoke, his prophecy was one sentence, “Forty days more and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The people believed him and repented and his words did not come true. We only have his words because someone else wrote them down. Fortunately the Lord told Habakkuk to write down his vision. Although scholars disagree on how much of what is written is actually from Habakkuk. The text has been edited, some of the verses seem to be out of place, and the oldest surviving copy (one of the Dead Sea scrolls) does not include chapter three. It seems that much of this rewriting may have happened when the Jewish people were subjected to Greek atrocities. 

That editing was because Habakkuk is asking the age-old question, “Why God, if you are good, do you allow evil to happen?” The Jews were certainly asking that question in the light of the Greek oppression. It is a question that we ask also. Why do the evil prosper while the good suffer? Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. You may be disappointed in God’s answer that Habakkuk conveys; wait and live in faith. For the uninitiated those words certainly do ring hollow, but for the people of God, who have already lived through adversity know the power they have. But that knowledge just does not happen. Many people do believe that if they do good, follow the rules, and believe in God that all will be wonderful. It is not hard to see why people believe this. There are plenty of people who proclaim this. Just watch most religious television stations and you will hear a good dose of this formula – usually with a request for money to help your salvation along. Yet the history of the people of God does not bear out this scenario. There are countless examples of people who answered God’s call and have given of themselves, their time, and possessions and were not rewarded with great possessions or even good health. In fact many of those examples show the opposite. Think about the disciples of Jesus, or Paul, or any of the martyrs ancient and modern.  All who struggled in life. What they had in common is faith that guided them to answer God’s call and, while they waited, worked to bring truth and justice to the world.

That is your call too. You have been washed in the water of baptism and nourished at the Lord’s table. Filled with the Holy Spirit you are gifted with the patience and faith that the people of God need. Even though we are a small part of the Body of Christ, we wait and work together. Our wait is not one of inactivity – just sitting on the couch and getting mad at what is on television. We are called to give of ourselves while we wait. In whatever situation you may find yourself, in joy or sadness, ecstasy or pain, you are called and gifted to show the love of God by your words and deeds. To prepare yourself for what comes next I encourage you to spend time with Jesus. Read God’s word, pray every day, and let the Holy Spirit guide you to those who need to see God’s love.