Building up your faith: Part Two- What Habakkuk did to increase his faith.

Six hundred years before Christ, the prophet Habakkuk struggled with God about faith issues.What did Habakkuk do to increase the faith of God?

1. He welcomed a conversation with his Heavenly Father. He complained, argued and questioned.  And finally he listened. He expected God to respond.
2. He repented of pride and arrogance.   He recognized that God Almighty was the only non-created thing in the universe, and embraced Him as Lord of All. He gave up his idols.
3. He came into God’s presence and entered His Holy Temple.  And then he waited for God to act.
4. He praised God EVEN when he could not SEE anything fruitful in his life.  In essence, Habakkuk said, “Even though there is a big dark void in my life, I will be joyful in you, God.”

The following is my adaptation from the Prophet of Habakkuk, a possible single act play:After a long struggle with the wicked people of Israel, Habakkuk meets God out in the wilderness (1:2-4).“O Lord, how long must I call for help?  You don’t seem to be listening.  You have not come to save.  Why must I watch all this misery?  Whoever I look, I see destruction and violence.“I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight.  The law has become paralyzed and there is not justice in the courts.  The wicked far outnumber the righteous so that justice has become perverted.”Enter the voice of God. (1:5-11).  “Oh, my Beloved Prophet, look around you and be amazed!  For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.  The enemy, these cruel and violent people, will march across your world and scoff at kings and princes.  They will swoop down like eagles to devour their prey.  But know this, Habakkuk, these people are deeply guilty, for their own strength is their gods.”“Ok, God. I hear you.  I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guard post,” Habakkuk says (2:1).  And he climbs up the tower.  “Now that I am here, I will wait to see that you, the LORD, says and how you will answer my complaint.”God speaks again. “Habakkuk, my dear friend, will you write my answer plainly on tablets.  This vision is for the future time.  If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place.  It will not be delayed.  Here is what I am telling you:  The proud trust in themselves and their lives are crooked.  But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.  Let me tell you that the arrogant will never rest; they will never be satisfied.  Sorrow awaits them.  They rely on their own created idols, idols carved by men.  These wooden creations can’t even talk!  So listen up:  I, the LORD of the Heaven’s Armies, promise that the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.  The Lord is in his Holy Temple.  Let all the earth be silent before him.”Habakkuk responds (3:1-9)  “I have heard all about you, LORD.  I am filled with awe by your amazing works.  In this time of our deep need, help us.  I see you, God, moving across the sky in your brilliant splendor, filling the heavens.  Your coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.  The mighty deep cries out, lifting its hands to the Lord.  I tremble inside when I see and hear this.  I shake in terror.“You are mighty.  You are awesome!.  And I will wait quietly for the coming day.  But even though the fig trees have not blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines, even though the olive crop fails, and the field lies empty and barren, even through the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength!” In Christ,