Dear Faith Family, 

Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded.  For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told, (Habakkuk 1:5). 

Undoubtedly, you’ve been assaulted by “The Signs”!  They’re orange.  Strike one.  They bear tidings of bad news.  Strike two.  They read something akin to “Road Construction Ahead”.  Strike three. 

Just over a mile from my office there is a bigger and better exit overpass under construction.  When completed, we will have the thrill of driving on the wrong side of the road.  That could be fun.   

At the corner of that new overpass and the interstate stood a stand of mighty oak trees.  At the stand of those mighty oaks someone took it upon themselves to post a sign of encouragement.  Occasionally the sign gets changed.  Most recently the sign reads, “God’s God This”.  True that. 

But what really caught my attention was the scenic backdrop.  The mighty oaks had been felled.  Chaos shadowed the sign.  Looked like the orcs had come through recently!  Limbs, leaves, and loose dirt were strewn everywhere! 

I chuckled as I reconsidered the sign in its context.  God’s got this… mess?  This chaos?  This rubble?  And the answer is… wait for it… YES!  Of course, He does. 

Habakkuk spoke in the shadow of impending doom.  A foreign, wicked nation was about to inflict havoc upon the people of God who were themselves not following God.  Talk about limbs, leaves, and loose dirt!  Suffice it to say that Habakkuk was not able to reconcile his understanding of God with what was happening in the background.  Or foreground, for that matter! 

And what about you?  Are you overcome with limbs, leaves, and loose dirt?  Wrestling with chaos?  Stuff just not making sense?  God not making sense?  Wait.  Does God have to make sense to us for us to be ok?  Do we really want God operating on our level of understanding?  Or would we prefer that His ways and thoughts prove higher than ours? 

One of my favorite signs patiently waits at the end of the construction site.  It’s a small rectangular sign that reads, “End Road Work”.  Yes please!  And that day is coming.   

In the meantime, God’s Got This!  Although God answered Habakkuk, He didn’t resolve all the questions lingering in the mind of His servant (I mean, how do you reduce the mind of God to a level of our understanding?). Instead, the Lord of the limbs, leaves, and loose dirt served as Habakkuk’s source of joy and strength.  He hasn’t changed.  He’s still got this! 

Learning how to rejoice in Him, 
Pastor Karl