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Take your eyes from your difficulties and look to God

By Ernest Onuoha
13 August 2017   |   3:35 am
Prophet Habakkuk was a contemporary of Prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. He became a prophet in 612 BC. His message was that of hope to Judah. However, at the time of his prophecy, there was failure of crops and death of animals.

Ernest Onuoha

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places,” (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

Prophet Habakkuk was a contemporary of Prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. He became a prophet in 612 BC. His message was that of hope to Judah. However, at the time of his prophecy, there was failure of crops and death of animals. Consequently, starvation stared the people in the face. This critical situation threatened the faith of God’s people. How would they cope? Things were not getting better and God was even going to use wicked and sinful nation like Babylon to punish them. Habakkuk thereby realised that God was still in-charge and those who fear Him are not to give up but to have faith in Him. Yes, this should be the source of their strength.

Remember, when nothing makes sense and the problems seem more than you can bear, be assured that God gives strength at that point. Really, you need to take your eyes from your difficulties and look to God. The scripture was right: “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God,” (Heb. 12:2).

Habakkuk recommends to us: Rejoice in the Lord, He is your salvation and strength. See these Bible passages: Ps. 25:5, 27:1; 1 Sam. 12:2 and Phil. 4:4. Interestingly, it means much to rejoice, because the Lord your God will certainly make a way, where there seems to be no way. A story was told of a man who bought food with his last money and he had no job. So, his thinking was that after eating the food, he would simply die. To his surprise, just as he was about eating the food, a haggard man and his son, who emerged from nowhere, approached him. They begged him for the food, which he reluctantly gave them. But something interesting happened. After eating the man’s food, they gave the man an old coin and told him that he would be prosperous and they left.

Incidentally, the man was reading an old newspaper and saw where they wrote that anybody with an old coin should bring it to a certain location. He summoned up courage and went with the old coin and the value of the old coin when converted was N300 million. What a surprise! The man immediately started looking for the haggard old man and his son, but they were nowhere to be found. Indeed, we serve a God of miracle and He will never be tired of performing miracles.

People of God, we need to take our eyes from our difficulties and look to God. No matter how challenging it may be, take off your eyes. Jesus says: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” (Matthew 11:28). This call is still relevant, even in your situation.

Therefore, let us learn to trust God that He is able to deal with our situation. The present circumstances cannot determine what God has in store for us. May the Almighty God motivate us to look to Him at all times in Jesus name! Amen.

Ven. Ernest Onuoha Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre,
Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.
www.ibrucentre.org

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