Bible Text: Habakkuk 3:17-19 | Preacher: Prophet June S. Reinke | It was a very difficult time for the people of Israel as a nation. God had given the prophet, Habakkuk visions of the future that was not what he wanted to hear. There would be judgment on the land because the people of GOD had forsaken GOD. They worshiped idols. God had warned them repeatedly to turn back to Him and forsake these false gods. They ignored the warnings. Sometimes they killed the prophets or put them in prison for speaking the Word of GOD that they did not want to hear.

Ear tickling messages do not bring conviction that leads to repentance. We all want to hear about blessings and , benefits that GOD pours out upon us and daily loads us with. But these promises are often conditional! This is a wake-up call to the nations to repent and turn back to GOD, who created and owns the heavens and the earth.

It is GOD’s desire to prosper us and give us good health and good things to enjoy. But he wants us to acknowledge Him as our only GOD, serve Him, obey Him, turn to HIM, trust Him.

Today we are facing difficulties in our nations around the world. The coronavirus has reached every nation on the face of the earth. It has been the equalizer. The rich are threatened along with the poor. No amount of money had insured protection and exemption from this terrible virus that has brought disease and death. Fear is on every side. Churches are closed. Businesses are shut down. The goods that we had in surplus are all but impossible to find.  Many are stuck in their homes, waiting for this threat to cease so they can just resume their normal lives.

We are all affected by this terrible difficulty. The economy of every nation is reeling, and there seems to be more questions than answers. Fears and uncertainty looms. There seems to be no place to hide, to run, to retreat from this invisible enemy invasion. What can we do as a child of GOD?

Habakkuk heard the bad news. The vision was NOT GOOD!   He said, “When I heard, my belly trembled.  My lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble… [Habakkuk 3:16]. There would be death, devastation, drought, famine, pestilence. Yet his response was that of faith in GOD.  “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the LORD. I will joy in the GOD of My salvation. The LORD GOD is my strength, and He will make My feet like hinds’ feet, and HE will make Me to walk upon mine high places, [Hab.3:18-19].

God is our keeper. He is our deliverer. He is our healer. He is our provider. He is our Savior, our LORD! He is the ONE we can turn to in times of trouble that is on every side. HE is in control when everything seems out of control.

There is a place we can retreat to and be safe! God is your place of safety, a shelter in the times of storm. HE is YOUR hiding place where you can find security until the storm passes over. God is with you, is for you and not against you.

When you see a terrible storm coming, you head for shelter. He is that shelter.
RUN TO HIM!  Storms will come and GO.  This too shall pass. You can trust in GOD who never fails, never forsakes you, and is your keeper that does NOT slumber nor sleep. No matter what you see, no matter what you hear, no matter what the circumstances may be, you can trust in the LORD.

You can rejoice in the LORD always, because you know that He has you in the palm of His hands, and NO ONE has the ability to pluck you out of them. He is Your shield, your helper, and He will take care of His own. TRUST IN GOD to preserve you, protect you, provide for you and keep you safe and secure, until the storm passes over.

REJOICE, for HE your Father GOD. He is the Father of all mercies, the GOD of all comfort. Jesus is your Savior and LORD. The righteous will not be forsaken, and their children will not beg for bread.

The lyrics of an old hymn read:

Trust and obey;
For there’s no other way,
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

For as we come to Him in our times of trouble, He hears us. WE can trust in Him and KNOW that He will hear and answer our prayers. He cares for your soul, and you can rejoice that not only is HE the answer, but HE will answer you and sustain you and those you love through this difficult time. The lyrics of another old hymn suggest:

Only Trust Him;
Only trust Him,
Only trust Him now.
He will save you;
He will save you;
He will save you now.

The prophet Habakkuk concluded it best: “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD. I will joy in the GOD of My salvation. The LORD GOD is my strength, and He will make My feet like hinds’ feet, and HE will make Me to walk upon mine high places, [Hab.3:18-19].

Let us rejoice in the LORD, for HE is our GOD, and we can put our faith and trust in Him who will never fail us. This too shall pass, and we will be sustained through it all, as we TRUST in the LORD!