Habakkuk 1:1-4

It’s happened to most of us at one time or another. We purchase a product or a service, try to use it, and discover it does not measure up to our expectations. We return to the supplier, asking for a refund or cancellation of a service. Customer service doesn’t seem to care. Finally, in frustration, we ask, “May I speak with a supervisor, please?”

The prophet Habakkuk appears to face a similar situation involving a three-way relationship among Habakkuk, God, and the people of God. Habakkuk, a man of faith, isn’t so much rais­ing questions about his own relationship with God as expressing concern about the people of God. Habakkuk has probably flied all his concerns and complaints with the leaders of the land and now has decided to carry the question to the Senior Complaint Supervisor: God.

Most of us grumble about why bad things happen to good people in our world and time. We seek solutions to evil and strife-and find we can’t solve the problems by ourselves.

Then, as in the case of Habakkuk, we get frustrated because God doesn’t seem to step forward with an obvious solution . Per­haps we think that God isn’t listening-or that God doesn’t care. But the miracle of God’s presence is that God does hear us and does respond-perhaps not the way we expect or within our time frame. God does respond to our prayers and concerns. Like Job, Habakkuk believes that God hears and cares.

PRAYER:

Lord God , I’ve tried every way I can to solve the problems surrounding me; in a spirit of faith, I turn them over to you. Amen.