Final!

Final!

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour 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. Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬18 KJV

There are natural processes laid down by God Himself, which He also respects. His Word, right from Genesis, assures us that as long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest will NEVER cease. Most times, we plant seeds and expect to reap after some time, and we hardly pray for the results, because we assume that the natural process of life will lead to harvest. That's the way the world works.

However, there are times and seasons where it appears that God permits a suspension of that natural order for certain reasons; either to teach a lesson in trust and dependence, or as a punishment for sin. The prophet here knew the reason why Israel was in trouble, and he went to God with his questions. However, like Job, though he didn't hear the kind of answers he wanted, he learnt something eternal about God's power, prerogative and mercy:  Sin always comes with a price, and God has left us with no doubt as to the price. We do have a choice.

Even if lack comes through no fault of mine, and it seems that my best laid plans are not working, would that change my perception and understanding of who God is? When I have done all I can: nurtured and fertilised the fig tree, vine and olive trees, given them a conducive atmosphere to thrive and flourish, and the flock of sheep and cattle all get food at the proper time, yet they all fail, what will be the state of my heart?

For this writer, his mind was made up: nothing on the outside will be so powerful that it will upset my inner equilibrium. Nothing about my external circumstances will take away my joy and peace. I have God as my salvation, not a genie who grants me only my wishes. He's God: absolute in power and wisdom, and whatever He does or allows has the ingredients to bring me to the place of my purpose. My joy isn't tied to the economy of the land or my pocket, but on the God who is able to raise funds even from strange places, such as a fish's mouth. His time of favour is here.