Though There Is No. . . Yet I Will

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, for he enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19

“Though there is no. . . Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

I read up on the history of Habakkuk. This book is unique. Thought it is concidered a prophetic book. It is a dialogue between him. Habakkuk. And God. Over God’s ways. And Habakkuk’s conflict with them. His wrestling with them.

He wrote with feeling. Feeling. Something that hits me square in the chest. Maybe that’s why after reading those three verses, I wanted. Needed to know more. About him. About this book. About this time.

After going back and forth with God. Habakkuk. Questioning. And God answering. Through two chapters. Then. Chapter three. A prayer. Not a petition or request. But a psalm-like recollection.

“Lord, I have heard of your fame;” v. 2

And he cites. In verse after verse. What God has done over time. Over history. Their history with Him.

Then. Verse 17.

Though the fig tree doesn’t bud.

Though there are no grapes.

The olive crops fail.

There is no food in the fields.

No sheep. No cattle.

Their world. The life they knew is coming to an end. Crumbling. As the Babylonians are coming.

Yet.

Yet. I will rejoice. I will be joyful. The Sovereign Lord is my strength. The one who holds all power. All authority. All control. Over this world. Over their world. Over my world and yours.

As I read and researched. I saw. How much I am like Habakkuk. How I question God. How I don’t understand and think I know better. How I forget all He has done.

And I am sure. If you think about it. Down deep. You have done the same. We all have.

But just like throughout the book of Habakkuk. God listens to the questions. The feelings behind and weaved through the questions. And He answers. If we are quiet. If we choose to listen. And He reminds us. If we let Him. Of all the things He has done. Of His Sovereignty. Of His authority. Of His control. So we can come to a place of “Yet I will rejoice”.

“He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go to high heights.” v19

I know when I am a place of questioning God. I am usually at the bottom. Of a pit. Of a valley. Of myself.

Yet I will rejoice. When I finally listen. When I finally get to the “yet I will rejoice” part of the story. Then I get the sure-footed confidence that only He can give. Then I can climb to the high heights. Out of the pit or valley or myself.

So. Even if “there is no”. . . I will rejoice.