Trust God No Matter What
By Scott Harrup | September 15, 2008
This morning’s headlines on the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy and Merrill Lynch buyout have sent stocks plummeting. Gas prices are spiking again in reaction to a continuing barrage of hurricanes. If FDR had us singing “Happy Days Are Here Again” as the United States began to leave the Great Depression behind, what should the national jingle be if we’re headed into another?
The Sept. 28 Evangel will take a look at our economic hard times from a biblical perspective. I wrote the following piece in that issue with my own family’s financial challenges in focus. I hope you find some encouragement in this biblical promise.
Trust God … no matter what
If you’ve been suffering price shock with every visit to the gas station or grocery store lately, take heart. Things could be a lot worse.
That reality alone is no cause for encouragement, but there’s another part to the equation. Things could be a lot worse — but no matter how bad things get, God is faithful and will honor your trust in Him.
The economy changes. God never does.
The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk lived during an era of difficult change in his nation. Some 600 years before Christ, the Kingdom of Judah transitioned from prosperity under King Josiah to conquest by the Babylonians. Habakkuk probably watched things move from good to bad to worse during his lifetime.
But Habakkuk held to a foundational philosophy he expressed at the end of his small book, a book full of difficult questions to God about the hard seasons of life.
“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” (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NIV).
Look at the events the prophet postulated. In his agricultural society, he was describing the absolute collapse of every material resource around him. But even if everything fell apart, Habakkuk knew God would sustain him. And Habakkuk wouldn’t just get by, limping along through life with a weak smile. He would live joyfully and triumphantly, thanks to God’s intervention.
And you can, too.
September 16th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Great Blog Scott! We have to be ready “in season and out” to give a reason for our great hope which is Jesus Christ! Given the direction our economy seems to be heading, and all of our other spiritual challenges I would say that this is “the season” that we as Christians were prepared for. It’s harvest time! Praise God!
September 18th, 2008 at 10:24 am
As a rock climber, I especially like the last part of that verse.