CLIMBING INTO YOUR WATCHTOWER

I will climb up into my watchtower now and wait to see what the Lord will say to me and how he will answer my complaint.” 

Habakkuk 2:1,NLT

"How long, Lord must I call for help but you do not listen? Violence, I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see this sin and misery all around me? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed and useless and there is no justice given in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous and justice is perverted with bribes and trickery."

No, this isn’t the prayer of someone in 21st century America; it’s the prayer of the prophet Habakkuk when he cried out to God about the problems his homeland Judah was experiencing and the upcoming destruction of Judah by the powerful and ruthless Babylonian army . But it might as well be the prayer of many people today, for like Habakkuk, we too may be asking why there is so much sin and misery in our land; we may be asking why there is so much destruction and violence and why everywhere we turn, we see nothing but disharmony, injustice and confusion; we too may wonder why we are surrounded by people who seem to do nothing but argue and fight.

During biblical times, watchtowers were built on city walls so that watchmen could see people approaching their city. It was a position a person took to watch patiently to let his city know if any enemies or messengers were approaching the city from a distance. After Habakkuk shared his concerns with the Lord, he stated that like a watchman on the city walls, he would climb up into his watchtower and wait for God to respond to his complaint and concern. His climbing into his watchtower to watch and wait was a beautiful picture of his belief that God had not only heard his complaints, but would eventually answer.

Why is there so much disharmony in our world? Why does it seem like evil is prevailing? Why is there so much decay, confusion and destruction in the land? Whatever your question, whatever your complaint, go ahead and present it to your heavenly father; then like Habakkuk, climb on up into your "watchtower" with an attitude of patient expectation and wait for the Lord to answer!

Copyright 2020 Jeaninne Johnson Stokes