How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. [God’s response] “Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.
I can relate to Habakkuk here. He is lamenting about all of the evil and injustice around him and he cries out to the Lord. He is AT HIS END in seeing it go on around him. Have you reached “your end” in seeing evil around you? Does your heart, like Habakkuk, hurt and cry out to God about injustice? We should be wrecked in our hearts about these things. But I find many just ignore them and go on about their lives. They are numb; they don’t FEEL anymore. They are not passionate about the things of God. They don’t care enough to speak out. Or maybe they fear the reprisals of standing for justice and calling out evil. I think this was what Habakkuk was watching too. In society, when evil goes unchecked it multiplies and takes more ground … it swallows up more souls. We, just like Habakkuk, have a choice today: we can cry out to God about evil and injustice and speak up to call it out, or we can play it safe in the short-term and remain silent.
Where are our leaders? Why do more not speak out from the state houses and court houses and the nation’s halls of governance against this evil? Only precious few dare to. The rest of them play it safe and are silent.
Wake up, O people of America, and listen to God here. If we tolerate wickedness as a people, he will prepare a judging and avenging army. He will bring justice on us.
Lord, you see the wickedness, deception, and evil that reigns in our land. I cry out to you today. How much longer will you stand by? For your name’s sake, bring justice, I pray! Set right the many wrongs committed. Call to account those who cast you aside. May you break the hard hearts and strong wills of those who promote and encourage evil! For your glory and your great name!
