It remains a reality for every generation that there will be things that are challenging. Each generation brings painful challenges with them. Whether it is war, financial crises, droughts, pandemics, or fires. The question can be asked if there is a generation who can say they have not experienced any crisis. A case in point: if we could choose would be like to go back in history to live during the previous pandemic the world faced, or will we be content with what we face? Admittedly, we can identify a raft of other things such as:
• A recession – or threat thereof.
• Fires – or the threats thereof.
• Political instability – or the threats thereof.
• Lockdowns looming – or the threats thereof.
• Financial insecurities or the threats thereof.
• The list can go on, not even to speak of personal health, loss of loved ones due to Covid or other illnesses.
It will not take a lot for a person to allow this thinking to overwhelm one to becoming the most negative, pessimistic person with a “doom and “gloom” outlook to life. Honestly, it is good enough reason to stay in bed and not wanting to connect nowhere, anywhere.
If it was not for the word “yet”. Three letters. A small word. But a very important one. In the English language called a “relative pronoun”. It connects two things and establishes a relationship between them. And this is exactly what Habakkuk does in chapter 3 verses 16 and 18: “Yet I will wait patiently”; and “Yet I will rejoice” (NIV). The world is not in a happy place in the time of this prophet. On the eve of his country and people being destroyed by a cruel, powerful nation he feels cornered in from all sides. And after he stated the reality of destruction, as well as natural disasters, he bursts out in his conviction of using “yet”. To do this is impossible unless something changes inside you. With Christ’s ascension, his Holy Spirit came to dwell in us. And he “gifted” us.
The gift of
• a faith that can identify issues as it is.
• distinguishing between foreground and background.
• walking in faith, instead of “here and now”.
• being able to relativize.
• being able to avoid circumstances to overwhelm them.
• holding steadfast onto promises made.
• being joyful.
• being able to confess this daily.
Thus, what can we say, if we want to implement the message of Habakkuk? Let’s try:
• Covid is taking its toll,
“Yet I will rejoice”.
• I have Covid,
“Yet I will rejoice”.
• I/my loved ones are dying,
“Yet I will rejoice”.
• I cannot farewell loved ones at a funeral,
“Yet I will rejoice”.
• I have a terminal/serious illness/injury,
“Yet I will rejoice”.
• I will not survive financially,
“Yet I will rejoice”.
• Lockdowns are crazy!
“Yet I will rejoice”.
• And many more … can you add some of you own?
For one or other reason this has become the “battle cry” of Christians through the centuries. The ability, during crisis to muster up the courage to profess their faith and say “yet”. Thereby stating what the most obvious needs to be: being able to to make a comparison between current challenges and compare them with the richness of being “crucified with Christ”. The life and environment one live in move to the background in favour of the Kingdom of God and hold fast in an uplifting way onto these promises. We can think of martyrs who have died terrible deaths with a song of praise on their lips, we can think of previous pandemics and the way Christians acted. The forgotten stories how Christians in the centuries after Christ stood together and served when Rome went through a terrible time of pandemics with thousands dying. Christians became the light of the world. Because they understood “yet”.
“Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.
17 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,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (NIV)
“Father empower us with your Spirit to understand “yet”. Help us to hold steadfast onto our view of your Kingdom and rejoice”