RCPC Greatest Hit from Elizabeth H. Carico in 1985
Habakkuk 1:1-4
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?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law becomes slack
and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous—
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.
We all have days like Habakkuk, the prophet, filled with doubt and turmoil in our spirits. We see violence in power, the innocent treated cruelly, and justice is in the favor of the criminal. We doubt that God hears our prayers. We wonder how God can permit such wrong doing and keep silent.
How dare we cry to God, “How long and Thou will not hear?” Instead, we must remember that we are of a sinful nature and permit violence when we might be the one individual who could bring peace. God is aware of our every situation. We mist surrender our desires to the will and mind of God. He hears every prayer and oftentimes uses one individual, or perhaps a certain group to make His will known. Each of us must be prepared to work against violence and for peace wherever we are led.
Prayer: Forgive our violence and grant us grace to experience peace. Help us to speak out against oppression and to help those in need. Burden us with the desire to help in desperate situations and make us willing to be used. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.