A few years ago on Aug 23, a man got sacked from his job, Didn’t know how it is to “trust in the Lord” and something just snapped inside… So he held up a bus full of tourist, was shot and killed… 8 innocent tourists who were just enjoying Ocean Park died in this scene. I guess for the relatives of these people, life is not fair too isn’t it? A few months ago, a mother of 2 got a 2 million peso debt. She also didn’t know the Lord so she placed poison in their food and made them eat it. She tied them up and placed a bag over their heads and locked them in the bedroom. When the husband came home, she gives her poison and does the same to him and then eventually kills herself. Unfair right?

When we seek comfort of our Christian friends what do we usually hear? Its God’s will, God knows whats happening to you, God’s teaching you something… Etc… Etc… Honestly, I’ve heard these advices so many times it has lost its effect on me. So I cried out to God to show me something new and I was led to a very short book in the bible called Habakkuk. Its only 3 chapters long, this is the only place where the name Habakkuk was mentioned ever in the scriptures.

 

In this book, he is asking “Why is life so unfair and why is God not doing anything.” – aren’t most of us guilty of this? We think we know more than God. Here, I was reminded that having Faith in God means giving our complete trust in Him.

 

“The law has become paralyzed, there is no justice in the courts, the wicked far outnumber the righteous so that justice has become perverted” Habakkuk 1:4 Doesn’t this sound like the runt we are in now? Last year, 7 days before our wedding, the courts warranted an arrest order against Monique my wife. Why? Because we are a legal company and pay the right taxes. We declare 100% of our sales and pay the right taxes. Apparently, people who do this are so few the BIR doesn’t believe it. You can be at that time we were crying out for justice. How about you? what stories do you have?

 

It is a fact, Bad things happen to good people and being a follower of Christ does not exempt us from trials but we Christians have that assurance that in His perfect time God will be our vindicator & God has not forgotten us.

When my wife and I went to Vegas, a sign reminded us that even if bad things happen to me, God knows. To me thats all that I need to know. In the meantime, Our role is to draw close to God and set things in their proper perspective. Here is the sign:

God knows

 

Life is not fair but God is! He is always right. Habakkuk knew that babylonians are being used by God to punish Judah. He realized that there are things they are experiencing that didn’t seem fair. He did not understand why this was happening but he trusted God anyway.

 

“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our time, make them known. In wrath remember mercy” 3:2

 

When I read this verse I was blown away. OK I’ll admit… I cried! Yes, the bible speaks about how God provided manna for his people in the dessert, how the red sea was parted for the Israelite to pass, how God stopped the day for Joshua, how Jesus would heal the sick, raise the dead and allowed his disciples to cast out demons… But “what about today Lord? We need a dose of your miracle!”. In this verse, Habakkuk pleads to God to make His presence felt once more… In this generation.

 

The book ends with a very powerful prayer… And I suggest that today we pray this way, that even though we don’t know & understand what he is doing, we fully trust him. We consult with God and give Him ALL our concerns, even if we know that God already knows. We worship him when we win and worship him when we lose. We are grateful when we have plenty and we are even more grateful when we have none.

 

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior. The sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” 3:17-19

 

When you pray today, remember Habakkuk – believe that God will make his presence felt in our time because Life is unfair but God is!

 

Thanks to Manny Manansala for taking my picture.