Habakkuk.

"O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?
Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save?
Why do you make me see wrongdoing and look at trouble?"
Habakkuk 1:2,3 (NRSV)

"Moreover, wealth is treacherous, the arrogant do not endure.
They open their throats wide as Sheol; like Death they never have enough."  Habakkuk 2:5 (NRSV)

Does this sound familiar?

Habakkuk could be speaking today!

With him we cry "How long?"

But you won't hear this preached in church too often.

Unless it is to push some End Times agenda.

But it is consistent with the Old Testament prophets whose social justice message is seldom heard.

Fox News would call God a Marxist.

And His prophets Commies.

But money deals with dissent violently.

As many protesters have discovered.

If not with a bullet then with a hate campaign.

"For there is still a vision for the appointed time."  Habakkuk 2:3 (NRSV)

That time is now!

The vision of God is breaking into history.

And we are blessed to be its agents.

Pray for the Light to dawn upon us and dispel our fears and terrors.

For God will not deal with us violently.

His mercy and forgiveness will prevail.

No one will perish.

Give up your fears.

And open your heart!


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

Photo Credit: George M. Groutas Flickr via Compfight cc
(The image has been slightly modified.)