Proper 22
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4

Does it seem like our world is unraveling? From terrorism and genocide, war-torn areas to human trafficking—does it seem like our world is falling apart? And to bring it home a little closer to America, with our economic situation, the increasing financial crisis, does it seem like our world is unraveling?

The world that the prophet Habakkuk found himself in was unraveling. Violence and injustice was all around him. Judah had turned to Egypt for help; Nebuchadnezzar and his army was reigning down thunder on them. Habakkuk cries out to God asking where He is; why is He taking so long to respond to the cries of “violence!”

God responds in a way that Habakkuk didn’t really care to receive. Babylon was the answer to the pillaging of the poor and the violence and destruction across the land. But that is going from one injustice to another that is exponentially worse.

Then God spoke again. “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, sot that a runner may read it. For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.” In the news that the end is coming, but doesn’t seem to immediately address the current situation, Habakkuk hears something that strikes a chord in him: “the righteous live by their faith.”

When the life is falling down around us, and our world is spinning out of control, unraveling before our eye, we are called to stand firm. We are called to go to our watchpost, to station ourselves on the rampart and look through the injustice to see God. We are called to wait actively on the Lord, for the righteous live by their faith. While we wait, we wait actively, working for justice, don’t hide your eyes to the injustice—stare it down! The righteous live by their faith: standing on their faith they work and look for the appointed day.

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