6-24-20 Today in the Word

HOW GOD WORKS THROUGH FAILURE
Wednesday, June 24, 2020 | Habakkuk 3:16–19
 
WHEN LIFE FAILS US

“I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake, I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.” So begins the classic children’s book by Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. We’ve all experienced days, weeks, maybe even years when everything goes wrong. But the unchanging nature of God means we can rejoice and worship even during those times. When everything crumbles, even then (especially then!) we can say: “I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength” (vv. 18–19).
What could go wrong is vividly described (vv. 16–17). Babylon will conquer Judah as part of God’s judgment (Hab. 1:5–11). But God has guaranteed that their turn will come. Because he trusts in the Lord, Habakkuk can “wait patiently” for that day. Even if the fig tree doesn’t bud, the olive crop fails, and the fields are barren, God is faithful. Even if there are no sheep or cattle in the pens, he will rely on the Lord.
The word “yet” in verse 18 indicates a contrast, and the prophet’s response overflows with faith (vv. 18–19). Despite these images of hardship and disaster, he will rejoice in the Lord. God is all-powerful and sovereign. There’s no way He will fail. His promises are as good as kept. Failure and success are not about us or circumstances. We stand on a mountaintop with feet like a deer, that is, with God we’re secure and victorious!
>> Try writing a personal paraphrase of verses 17–19 from today’s reading. Fig trees not budding might become your basement flooding, for example. Make the situations and pictures personal, so that the joy in God also becomes personal!
PRAY WITH US
In your life, what may be the fig tree that doesn’t bear fruit? No matter what trials you’re going through, be encouraged. God is faithful and He will take you through. Thank Him in prayer today!
This month's devotional is written by Dr. Brad Baurain who has worked as a writer and editor for Today in the Word since 1993. Currently, he serves as associate professor and TESOL program head at Moody Bible Institute. Brad has the unique privilege of holding a degree from four different universities (including Moody). He has also taught in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada. Brad and his wife, Julia, have four children and reside in Munster, Indiana.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more