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Nov 06, 2023 06:00am

The Bible Recap: Days 232-238

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(The following are reflections from the writer’s personal journey through The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble – a Bible reading plan to read the Bible chronologically in one year. To learn more about The Bible Recap, visit thebiblerecap.com. Find more posts from this series at lifeword.org/thebiblerecap.)

Day 232: Read Habakkuk Chapters 1-3

My Takeaways:

The book of Habakkuk reminds me of Job—it’s much like a conversation with God. There has been injustice, oppression, violence, and persecution, and Habakkuk is questioning God: Where are you in all of this?

It reminds me much of our friend, Job.

Habakkuk says something we all might have said: “How long, God? How long will you allow this to happen without intervening?”

I have asked that same question, too. Actually, I have asked many questions like that.

Why does it feel like those who oppose you prosper?

Where are you in all this?

Are you listening me to me?

Do you see what I am seeing?

And God doesn’t exactly answer Habakkuk other than this:

“Look at the nations—be utterly astounded! For I am doing something in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it.”

I always thought this was a cool verse that encouraged us that God is going to surprise us with a blessing or move in a new way in our lives. Nope. This verse is specific to the Jews at this time. It is basically saying: “I am using the enemy to wake up my people from their spiritual slumber. Buckle your seatbelt, Habakkuk, it’s going to get bumpy.”

What I love about Habakkuk is his stubborn determination to keep asking hard questions to God and then wait for God’s answer:

“I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what he will say to me, and what I should reply about my complaint.”
Habakkuk 2:1-3

Basically, he’s standing firm in hearing from God. Wo!! I wonder….what if we have that same approach in our prayers?!

You know what? It worked! God answers him! But, it’s not what Habakkuk wants to hear: It’s not going to get better for a long time. (Let’s be honest…none of us like this answer.)

But God does tuck in this encouragement:

“Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late… but the righteous one will live by faith.”
Habakkuk 2:3b-4

Oh, friends, this is the hardest of all: God’s “nos” and delays.

That prayer you have been praying…be persistent. In God’s timing, He will move. Until then, walk by faith.

That door that was shut to you? Be persistent. Keep praying. In God’s timing, another one will open. Until then, walk by faith.

And after God encouraged Habakkuk, He answers him. He tells him to make no mistake—those wicked people will get punished

And like Job, Habakkuk stands in awe of God and His deeds. He knows his God is there. He worships God amid the violence. He praises God amid the persecution. And He asks God to revive His work in this time and remember His mercy to His people.

After this, Habakkuk praises God for who He is.

He got a fresh reminder of his God. He knew He was there. He knew God was listening. And he was prepared to walk by faith though nothing around him may reflect faith.

And he knows hard days are coming: “Now I must quietly wait for the days of distress….YET, I WILL CELEBRATE IN THE LORD.”

Oh friends, let us have that same response when everything around us screams the opposite!

What was Habbakuk’s secret to this revived faith?!

He says it in Habakkuk 3:19:

“The Lord, my God is my strength. He makes my feet like those of a deer, and enables me to walk on mountain heights.”

God gave him the strength to face dark times, but He promises to be with him every hard and steep step of the way.

He promises us the same thing too, friends.

Take hope. God is listening. When there is silence, lean in more. Be like Habakkuk and choose to be persistent. God will reveal Himself. When there is strife, take strength in God to face it. When the wicked seem to prosper, get your walking shoes on. It’s a walk of faith over that mountain.

Faith is work….but when we persist, we will experience God and His goodness. And may we too cry out: “I will celebrate in the Lord!”

Day 233: Read Jeremiah Chapters 41-45

Day 234: Read Jeremiah Chapters 46-48

My Takeaways:

Amid the prophecies God makes against other nations, He gives comfort to His kids. I love this about Him. In many of His disciplinary actions, He always offers encouragement and love. He disciplines out of love. Oh friends, I would take God’s discipline any day over man’s!

He tells Jacob:

“Don’t be afraid, and do not be discouraged… For without fail, I will save you from far away…”

God promises calm and quiet for Jacob when he returns—that no one will frighten him. He reassures His kids that He will be with them while He brings destruction upon the other nations. And then, He says something interesting:

“I will discipline you with justice and I will by no means leave you unpunished.”

His kids have sinned. We have sinned. Sin has to be punished…and you know what? We want sin to be punished! What if no one was ever accountable for his actions? God is just—He punishes other nations and He punishes His kids. But with His kids comes mercy and grace and His presence.

With His discipline comes compassion and nearness.

I would take God’s discipline any day, friends!

Day 235: Read Jeremiah Chapters 49-50

My Takeaways:

Well, today friends, was not my most fav reading. (Hence, my short reflection!) But, it does show one thing: While God holds His own people accountable for their sins, He also holds the ungodly accountable for their sins.

And in today’s reading, they are in the spotlight. He uses Babylon to take His people into exile for their sins, but He will also judge Babylon for their own sins.

Sin must be punished—sin by God’s kids and sin by people who aren’t God’s kids.

My God Shot was one tiny portion that talked about how His kids were held by their captors, refusing to release them. God said, “Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Armies is his name. He will fervently champion their cause so that he might bring rest to the earth.”

I love this. He will come to His people’s rescue. He will defend them. He will bring rest and peace to their land. It’s ugly now, but He is their Redeemer and He is coming for them.

Day 236: Read Jeremiah Chapters 51-52

My Takeaways:

Wow! We ended on a doozy. God is coming for Babylon and told them exactly what will be done to them!

God said, “For this is a time of the Lord’s vengeance—he will pay her what she deserves.” What did Babylon do? Later on, God tells us: for all the things she has done to His kids. You guys, He uses Babylon to get His kids’ attention, but He doesn’t forget the way they were treated either. He is a God of justice! He will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter. He will silence their mighty voice.

He also says this: “We tried to heal Babylon, but she could not be healed. Abandon her!” This reminds me of all the times we have read about God’s interventions and warnings to people to get their attention to change their hearts or punishment was coming (like Nineveh). He tried to do the same thing for this pagan nation, but they didn’t listen.

Amid all this destruction and earth, God tells His kids to come home to Jerusalem when this happens—He will take care of them.

My God Shot today was one of sovereignty: “For the Lord has planned and accomplished what He has threatened.””

You guys, God warns. He warns. He warns. He is long-suffering. He is patient. His goal is a changed heart. And when that doesn’t happen, He follows through with what He warned about. It makes me think of times growing up we overlook our parents’ warnings because we may not think they will actually follow through with that warning. We don’t take them seriously until the punishment comes and sometimes, it’s too late.

All throughout this book, haven’t we seen the same of God? He is so patient…until He’s not. Oh friends, may we have hearts that heed His warnings and make the change. Lord, help us have ears that listen and hands that obey.

Day 237: Read Lamentations Chapters 1-2

My Takeaways:

The Jews are in exile and the brokenness is real. They have experienced and are experiencing the consequences of their sin.

The realization is there. The repentance is there.

And God is silent.

These are hard times—we feel the emotions of the writer! But, it also reminded me of this: our feelings don’t always reflect the truth. The writer made mention a few times that God acted without compassion. Oh, I can understand that feeling for sure! But, if we know anything about God, compassion is one of them! These times don’t reflect His compassion, but the fact that they are alive is His compassion. The fact He let any country take them into exile is His compassion. He’s promised to bless them in this country!

I think the writer also shows us this: consequences of sin get our attention. Repentance can lead to brokenness. And brokenness can turn our eyes to God. It can cause us to cry out to Him in a way we never have. It can lead us to a kind of desperate when we surrender to Him.

That, friends, changes our hearts.

And that is the compassion of God. Using the most extreme measures to turn His kids back to Him.

But, you know what? Though He is silent, He’s still there. He is working all things out for their good (and ours, too) and for His glory.

Because that is who He is.

Day 238: Read Lamentations Chapters 3-5

My Takeaways:

Oh, friends, I loved today’s reading! After feeling like we trudged our way through Jeremiah, this was such a good one!

But, man oh man, it started heavy:

“I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of God’s wrath. He has driven me away and forced me to walk in darkness instead of light.”
Lamentations 3:1

The author of Lamentations doesn’t stop there. He goes on to describe how God turns His hand against him all day long.

God has laid siege against him.

God has walled him in so that he can’t get out.

God has weighted him down with chains.

God is a bear waiting in ambush.

God has shot him with his arrows.

I have been through some pretty dark seasons before, but I don’t think I have ever called God a bear or a lion, waiting to ambush. I haven’t thought of God as the enemy besieging me or shooting me with arrows.

But, I have felt weighted in chains…for my own sin and actions.

Sometimes I recognized my sin immediately and repented…and sometimes, my chains got heavier and heavier to get my attention.

Those seasons are hard seasons, friends. Seasons where it’s hard to imagine a bright future and feel hopeful. Seasons of sadness and depression. Seasons where I wonder where God is.

But the author of Lamentations does something that changes his perspective amid all these accusations against God:

“Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s faithful love, we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!”
Lamentations 3:22-23

This is what I call the game changer, friends. Nothing had changed in this author’s situation: God’s kids are still in exile, where they will be for 70 years. This is the punishment for their sin.

But the author does something powerful: instead of believing what his feelings were saying about God, he recalled the truth about God.

He recalled God’s faithfulness.

He recalled God’s mercy.

He recalled that God is good to those who wait for Him and seek Him.

He recalled it’s good to suffer trials in our youth.

He recalled that it’s good to sit and be silent while suffering the consequences of sin.

He recalled that even if God causes suffering, He will show compassion.

He recalled that both adversity and good come from God.

Can I tell you that many times I like to have a pity party and think (or say): “Why, God, why?” Or “Can you just forgive me and let’s move on?” Or even “Okay, okay, I learned my lesson! Let’s get on with it!”

Because, it’s hard to be reminded where I messed up. It’s so hard to get out of my pity party and refocus my eyes off of my situation and feelings and onto the God I know from Scripture.

The God I know from Scripture is a God of love who is patient and long-suffering.
He warns us and warns us about our decisions.
He is a gentleman who never forces us to love Him but woos us into a deeper relationship.
And, He is a God who disciplines us to get us back in step with Him, trusting Him and following Him.

Is this hard to refocus my eyes? Sure! I want to focus on me and my sorrow. But, when I look back to my history with Him and look into His word about Him, it gives me, as well as the author of Lamentations, something we all need amid the trials of life: HOPE.

Like the author of Lamentations said, we will always pay for the water we drink. Our “wood” will always come at a price. Sin always does. But, when we lift up our hands and our hearts to God in heaven and confess our rebellion, we will experience the God of forgiveness, healing, and restoration in a such way, we too may cry out:

“The Lord is my portion, therefore, I will put my hope in him!”
Lamentations 3:24a