"How long?”
by Don Riley | February 5, 2010
Habakkuk the priest turned prophet asked God.
Habakkuk was concerned about the evil conditions of the nation of Judah.
He wondered why God would allow the people to be as
they were. He wondered how long it would take for God to respond to what
lay before the prophet.
Some men have asked me “How long will they have to fight cancer?”
Some men have asked me” How long will they wait before a deal closes?”
Some men have asked me “How long will they have to wait before they shed their addictions?”
Some men have asked me “How long before this e-mail devotional is over?”
No, they have not, just wanted to see if you were paying attention.
No, they have not, just wanted to see if you were paying attention.
Some men have asked “How long will it be before my children become interested in things pertaining to the Lord?”
Some men have asked me “How long before they receive encouragement?”
Some men have asked me “How long before there are statesmen in Washington, D.C.?”
When Habakkuk asked the question “How long?” God did not rebuke him.
God Himself asked that very question, “How long?” in
Exodus 16:28 when the people ignored the provision of God in the
reception of a double portion of manna on the day before the Sabbath.
Again in Numbers 14:11, the Lord asked “How Long?” when the people
showed their lack of faith by accepting the report of the negative spies
who checked out the conditions of the Promised Land.
Jesus twice in Matthew 17:17 asked the question “How
long” when he faced the perverse and faithless generation standing
before Him.
The martyrs in perfection, those slain for the Word of
God, in Revelation 6: 10 asked “How long before the Lord would judge
those who killed them?”
So when you wonder “how long?” remember that it is not a bad or impertinent question.
The answer God gave Habakkuk was spectacular. Essentially he said, “I am God, and I am at work”.
That is true in each of our situations.
He is at work to give us a future and a hope. He
brings healing or brings us home. He closes deals, and heals addictions.
He rekindles the love of Christ in our children. He brings specific
friends into our lives that are awesome at encouraging us. He rises up
national leaders and disposes evil.
Feel free to ask the question “How long?”
God has answered you by His covenant promises.
“How long?”