READING: Nahum 3, Habakkuk 1-3, Zephaniah 1-3
One writer has written of Habakkuk 3:17-18 (a portion of today’s reading), “Of all the wonderful passages in the Old Testament, the climax to Habakkuk’s psalm fits as one of the great affirmations of faith.”*
And, these are indeed amazing verses. On one hand, the writer describes difficult a most difficult situation (though scholars differ as to whether those events were possibilities or then-present tense realities): an economic disaster brought on by failed crops and deceased herds that would surely cause all hope to diminish. On the other hand, though, the writer indicates that he would celebrate anyway if all those things happened. Still he would rejoice in the Lord.
After all, God would still be God. He would still be the God of salvation. He would still be their strength. He alone would still make His people surefooted in a chaotic and dangerous world. In Him, the people could still sing no matter what they faced. Even if nothing went right, still Habakkuk could rely on God.
I’m reminded today of an old song about the God of the mountain still being the God of the valley. Habakkuk, I trust, would remind me to cling to these truths even if the bottom drops out today.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Are you in a valley today?
PRAYER: “God, help me to trust You even in the tough times.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Zephaniah 3, Haggai 1-2, Zechariah 1-4
* Barker, K. L. (1999). Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (Vol. 20, p. 374). Broadman & Holman Publishers.