Sit down, shut up, pay attention and write it down – It’s My show!
Habakkuk – Summary
Review
- What did we talk about in Chapter 1?
- H. is frustrated, mad about Israel and asks God for action. The first time, he’s a little less than reverent. The second, he’s much better.
- God IS involved. We may not always understand or agree with what He chooses to do.
- What did we talk about in Chapter 2?
- H’s reaction is central. Yes, God’s message to him is the majority of the book, but it’s important that H. knew his responsibility, his role, etc.
- The vision is a sentence for the Chaldeans/Babylonians, but also (at least partially) for Israel.
- God’s will WILL be exacted. We have no role in it other than to sit down, shut up, pay attention, be amazed, and write it down.
- What did we talk about in Chapter 3?
- It’s God’s work that H. gets to participate in – not H.’s.
- The only thing H. prays for is mercy for his people.
Introduction
- How did you all do this week reading Habakkuk?
- What’s your opinion of Habakkuk (thus far)? Easy, hard, straightforward, confusing, basic, advanced, etc?
- What is your opinion of this chapter? Easy or lots of questions, difficult and convoluted?
- How often do you notice that what we talk about as a group (or, better yet, what you’ve studied individually through preparing for this class, your quiet time, etc) has some similarity or relationship to what is discussed during the sermon?
- The similarities to our lessons happen VERY frequently. Sometimes, I wonder if someone will think that I do it on purpose.
- I don’t do a thing. God does. God knows what each of us needs to hear. God weaves many parts together to form His symphony. I feel like it’s one little piece that God allows me to see – knowing that there’s much more that I don’t.
- When God does this from your quiet times or other independent study, it’s awesome, because you KNOW you didn’t do it intentionally.
Lesson
- Compare H. at the beginning and at the end of the book?
- Frustrated and angry to worshipful and respectful.
- Almost felt like H saw himself as a “peer” of God, but then had a very humble, awe-inspired worship prayer at the end
- Etc…
- Did this happen immediately?
- I don’t think so. I see a transition between each chapter. 1 is easily the most filled with guttural emotion, where 2 is more reasonable (he’s considering his position) and 3 is the full worship.
- Do you see any similarities in how you/we/“some (other) people” act?
- Do we ever get mad with God? Is that OK? Where’s the line?
- Do we ever get “too familiar” with God? What does that mean?
- Do we ever fall into thinking that since we can’t see or understand what God is doing that He’s not doing anything?
- Do we always consider our role/position in our response to events in our lives?
i. What about bad working situations? – bad influences? Do you respond to rough times just like everyone else or do are you different (not grumbling, not trash talking the boss, etc)?
ii. What about experiencing bad medical news?
iii. What about death situations?
iv. What about losing jobs?
v. What about… [insert bad thing here].
- What about good things? We need to remember who/who’s we are when good things happen too. How and why?
i. Praise God for them.
ii. Give God His due (tithing, service, etc)
iii. Trust God with His callings.
- Do you always pray like H. prayed? Compare his prayer with yours (I’ll pretend it’s not ALWAYS the same prayer like most Baptists do.)
i. Is there a right way or wrong way to pray? Then why do we concern ourselves with this discussion?
ii. Praying is OUR communication to God. God already knows what we want Him to do. But we’re expressing it. How we express it is important. Self-centered prayer (ask, ask, ask) isn’t complete.
- Do we always have “hinds feet” as we go about our business?
i. Um, no. We don’t. Very often, we dread working in nursery, don’t we? We don’t want to go on visitations. We don’t want to see the shut-ins, nursing home folks, etc.
- What were (y)our “take-aways” from Chapter 1?
- Questioning God is OK. There’s “a line” where you can be disrespectful, etc that could be sinful, but God gave us the emotions of anger, frustration, disappointment, etc. If we tell Him that we’re one of those things, He will most certainly understand them (better than we do).
- What were (y)our “take-aways” from Chapter 2?
- Our position is important in determining our actions (H. was a prophet. Many of us are Christians. Both require responses to situations that are different than those that don’t have the hope of Christ in their lives (ie, death situations, trials, job losses, etc)
- Communication leads to stronger relationships with God. This starts in Ch1, but we start to see this view/relationship change in Ch 2 and the rest of the book.
- Do not toil in vain. Do what God calls you to do and do it for the right reasons and with the right attitude. God can make your work fruitless, if He wants.
- What were (y)our “take-aways” from Chapter 3?
- H. prayed a “WOW!” prayer. His prayer is a model prayer for us in that he’s praising, worshiping God. Too often we ask, beg, plead for stuff but don’t tell God thank you, how awesome He is, etc. We pray too one-dimensionally.
- H. had “hinds feet” as he was walking into being overrun by Babylonians. Do you? He didn’t sulk, or trudge towards what he knew was coming. He certainly didn’t run away. He had the confidence of God helping him take his steps.
- So….What can we take away from the book of Habakkuk?
- Communication with God.
i. It changes people. It’s how we grow in our relationship to God.
ii. Prayer is more than just dinner time. It’s during trials, questions and joy/praise.
- Our position is important.
i. We should be mindful of whose we are. …and act accordingly.
- God is running the whole show. We get to participate IF WE ALLOW God to do so.
Summary
Book Verse: Hab 2:20 – But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.