Habakkuk 1:1-11: a reflection

1The revelation which Habakkuk the prophet saw. 2LORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save? 3Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up. 4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted. 5“Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days which you will not believe though it is told you. 6For, behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation who march through the width of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs. 7They are feared and dreaded. Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 8Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour. 9All of them come for violence. Their hordes face forward. They gather prisoners like sand. 10Yes, they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision to them. They laugh at every stronghold, for they build up an earthen ramp and take it. 11Then they sweep by like the wind and go on. They are indeed guilty, whose strength is their god.”

The prophet Habakkuk begins his book not with an answer, but with an honest, anguished question to God about the injustice he sees unanswered. How long will I cry, and you will not hear? he asks. I cry out to you, Violence! and will you not save? Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? He brings to God his distress at injustice, his questions about why God seems not to act. And God answers, not by ignoring the question, but by assuring Habakkuk that he is at work: I am working a work in your days which you will not believe though it is told you.

Notice both Habakkuk's honest cry and God's answer: he cried out over injustice, and God assured him he was at work. Habakkuk did not suppress his anguish over the injustice he saw, or pretend to understand; he brought it honestly to God, crying, how long? And God did not rebuke the question; he answered that he was working a work, even one Habakkuk would scarcely believe, at work in ways the prophet could not yet see. God was not idle or unconcerned about the injustice; he was working, though his work was not yet visible. The honest cry was met with the assurance that God was at work.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too cry out over injustice that seems unanswered, and can trust that God is at work even when we cannot see it. We see injustice, violence, wrong that God seems not to address, and we can cry, how long? honestly bringing our distress to him. And though we do not see God acting, he is at work, in ways we would scarcely believe, as he assured Habakkuk. Bring your honest cry over injustice to God, as Habakkuk did, rather than suppressing it or turning from him; and trust that God is at work even when you cannot see it, as he assured Habakkuk he was working a work in his days. Cry out honestly to God over the injustice that troubles you, and trust that he is at work, though his working is not yet visible, as God answered Habakkuk's how long? with the assurance that he was doing a work the prophet could not yet see.

Lord, the prophet Habakkuk begins his book not with an answer, but with an honest, anguished question to you about the injustice he sees unanswered. How long will I cry, and you will not hear? he asks. I cry out to you, Violence! and will you not save? Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? He brings to you his distress at injustice, his questions about why you seem not to act. And you answer, not by ignoring the question, but by assuring Habakkuk that you are at work: I am working a work in your days which you will not believe though it is told you. Show me both Habakkuk's honest cry and your answer: he cried out over injustice, and you assured him you were at work. Habakkuk did not suppress his anguish, or pretend to understand; he brought it honestly to you, crying, how long? And you did not rebuke the question; you answered that you were working a work, at work in ways he could not yet see. You were not idle or unconcerned; you were working, though your work was not yet visible. Take that to my heart, for I too cry out over injustice that seems unanswered, and can trust that you are at work even when I cannot see it. I see injustice, wrong that you seem not to address, and I can cry, how long? And though I do not see you acting, you are at work, in ways I would scarcely believe. Help me bring my honest cry over injustice to you, Lord, as Habakkuk did, rather than suppressing it or turning from you; and help me trust that you are at work even when I cannot see it.