Waiting before God

I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what he will say to me.

Habakkuk 2:1

I am so glad that God did not call me to be an Old Testament prophet. But I am grateful that the Lord gives us glimpses into the vulnerability and human-ness of these great men and women of faith. I’ve recently been intrigued by the prophet Habakkuk. His name means “One who wrestles or embraces”, and we see him wresting with God in the first chapter of the book named after him, asking questions that are familiar to us:  “How long, Lord?” and “Why?”.

In chapter 2, we see the prophet wait on the Lord to answer him. I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what he will say to me (Habakkuk 2:1). This is the message I need to hear. Too often, I lay my heart before the Lord, seeking His face, His ways, His hand, then jump up to attack my own to-do list, my own agenda, my own busy-ness. I rarely just sit before Him to listen. I will never be able to distinguish His voice in the clammer and noise of this world if I am not quiet before Him in the stillness of time with Him. I will never know Him without spending time with Him, waiting and watching for what He will say to me.

The Psalmist, King David, practiced this discipline. He wrote, Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him (Psalm 37:7 NIV). “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NIV). There is nothing in me that hungers to be still. I prefer busy-ness and ‘productivity’. It takes sacrifice and intentionality to be still before the Lord. But, oh, the benefits!!!  

In the very next verse of Habakkuk, the prophet says, “The Lord answered me…”  (Habakkuk 2:2).  How precious is that?

Jill Hardin                                  

Unless otherwise notated, all Scripture is from the Christian Standard Bible.