Morning Service – 22 Feb 2009
We Aussies love the weekend, and are constantly trying to find ways to make it longer. Two weekends ago began as many usually do apart from the heat, though perhaps with a greater sense of watchfulness. Real people were living real lives doing everyday events we take for granted. Then suddenly this typical weekend was anything but typical. Tragedy struck in the conflagration of the bush, farm and even towns resulting in not only great loss of property but of life as well. The morning of great promise turned violently into a day of morning.
A tragedy like this makes us stop in our tracks. Priorities are soon straightened out. You give your kids an extra tight hug. You kiss your wife longer. You call dad and say, “I love you.” You pray – for survivors, for the nation, for safety, for your family and yourself. It is now one of those days that though in future generations will be given a place in history books, is indelibly etched upon our souls, for we are involved and had to come to grips with it in real-time experience.
In the midst and aftermath of this tragedy we learn there are no promises. We are not promised another birthday. We are not promised another month, day, or hour. We are not even promised a proper Christian burial. For some, occupational hazards make this truth very real. For others, unplanned tragedies fall upon us. In one day death claimed lives on a larger scale than normal.
But we also mourn. And such is the nature of the tragedy, and such is its impact on all Australians, our Prime Minister has called for a day of mourning across the nation for today. In calling it for today he gives tacit acknowledgement to Christian faith for it is on this day that professing Christians will be in church, and on the impact of the Christian faith for it is on this day that most Australians will benefit from the remaining elements of the Christian legacy God blessed this land with through white and particular British settlement in that they partake of a day of rest.
Sadly though there is no explicit reference to God, no humbling before God, no crying unto God in the midst of this tragedy. We have heard much of ‘our thoughts and prayers’ are with you, but without a direct reference to the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible this is to denude the concept and practice of prayer of all efficacy. It is political-correctness-speak, not God-speak or the language of biblical faith – speak which people fill with their own meaning, not respond to the meaning God gives through His Word. Though we do fill it with reality and substance as we do lift up our prayers for those grieving in the face of untold lose and suffering as well as for our nation, and in particular that God will be glorified in and through this event.
In speaking this way I am not seeking to criticise others, whether believers or unbelievers, with spiritual pot-shots. I am merely seeking to make our mourning of genuine value by directing it, and by God’s grace turn our thoughts so that mourning will give way to the morning, the Daybreak of God’s grace.
To that end I want to ask the question: How do we mourn? What characterises it?
And in answering we look to Habakkuk 3. Habakkuk had been given a prophecy for Israel about an impending national tragedy. God, in judgement against their continual spiritual and moral wickedness, was sending utter destruction by Babylon.
Habakkuk responds: “How long…?” He expresses his confusion as he tries to reconcile the justice of God with the fact that God is using a nation marked by greater wickedness to exercise judgement upon Israel for its wickedness. How could He uses such impure means? This is all the more vivid when we realise God is telling the prophet that he will have to live through it. In many ways his wrestlings were to help those who with him will also somehow come through the destruction, as well as those who will have to face suffering in the future.
Then in v.16 we see that this was a very personal experience. The news of the tragedy was affecting him physically. Here is a man in emotional shock, unable to control his physical reactions. Note, this is not a lack of faith! It is human. It is how we come to terms with and respond to these natural physical and emotional reactions that indicates the substance and clarity of our faith. Whereas some give themselves up to life-dominating fear, and others respond in terms of psychological detachment or geeing oneself up, true faith’s response is grounded in the presence and activity of God. It looks at the events by focussing on God not looking at God by focussing on the events. When that happens we see:
1 …humility before God
Chapter 2 begins with Habakkuk waiting on God, and ends with the Lord’s declaration in v.20, “But the Lord is in His holy temple…”
Confronted by this ultimate reality of the holiness of God the distinction between Israel’s and Babylon’s sin became relatively unimportant. When things are seen from this spiritual viewpoint there can only be an acknowledgement of the reality that “all have sinned”.
That’s why he says in 3:2, “O Lord, I have heard your speech and was afraid… in wrath remember mercy”. Mercy speaks of not being dealt with as one deserves. It is the person who knows his guilt who cries for mercy. Habakkuk has moved on from considering the sin of the attacker and now is conscious of the sin of those being attacked, of his own sin.
Do we not see here that this is how we should respond to tragedy, by using it as a mirror to expose our own sin? Jesus speaks in this way in Luke 13 stressing that the impact of such times for survivors should be to reflect on one’s life before God.
For what are we mourning? Though we are mourning over death, suffering and loss experienced by others, even as the Scripture exhorts us to do, “weeping with those who weep”, we mourn for more – and in prayer long that God will use this to deepen the mourning of this nation. What could or ought to bring out a deeper more solemn mourning than these things? The reality, allowance, and participation of sin.
If our attitude is still ‘Why does God allow this? What have we done to deserve it?’ we have obviously not learned the lesson Habakkuk learned. Has the world the right to complain? Where has been our repentance, our repudiation of sin? Whenever we see any manifestation of evil we of all people should be humbled before God, in repentance seeking His grace to drive it out of us as well as from among us collectively – both church and nation. Mourning should be characterised by humility before God.
2 …faithfulness to God
Habakkuk doesn’t pray for God to change His plan. Rather, as v.2 continues, his one concern is for God’s cause and work in his own nation and in the entire world. In effect he is saying ‘It doesn’t matter what we may have to suffer so long as Your work is revived and kept pure!’
“Revive Your work..make it known… remember mercy!” he prays. But notice – “…in the midst of the years…” This must mean: ‘while these terrible things are taking place, …in the years of suffering and calamity’.
The question this confronts the church with today is, What really concerns the church today? Is it the terrible events of the world around us? Or is it the name and glory of our Almighty God, the health of His church, and the future of Gospel ministry? Do we not see that the whole destiny of the world is caught up in it?
Confronted by the reality of God in the Temple – the seat of authority and mercy – the prophet saw things in perspective. He saw something of the meaning of history, its movement to a final redemption, and the centrality that the church was to have within that history and movement.
He earnestly cries then that God would revive His church – ie, to preserve, to keep alive, don’t let it be overwhelmed by what is happening in the world. But also “make (His saving work)known” – bring on that glorious day when the Messiah would come in all His saving glory. “Remember mercy” – prepare us for the deliverance that is to come; make all Your people worthy of Your blessings.
This is deeply personal! Lloyd-Jones rightly observed many years ago: ‘If we are not more concerned about the purity of the church than the fact that we are faced by the possibility of another war, that is a serious reflection upon our Christianity.’
He is expressing his faithfulness to God. ‘Your way, not mine O God, no matter how hard it be.’ ‘It alone ultimately will bring order out of chaos.’
That is the great need of the day. The best of people are caring for the well-being of the injured and grieving, and this is commendable. But ultimately it is tampering with the symptoms; it does not solve the world’s problem which is sin. Soon the lessons learned will be modified if not forgotten. Already it is happening as people are desensitised by the media coverage, and other issues suddenly seem more pressing. How soon we saw the shift in the media from raw news, of just trying to get information out, to packaging it with maintaining of interest and ratings in mind.
No, man’s only hope is in Christ and in His Gospel. The core matter is not social welfare but battling for souls with the gospel. We are driven, in other words to faithfully stick to God’s program! To pray that God will bless it!
Our mourning should not be characterised by rebellious thoughts, anger or bitterness, a raging against God and His wisdom and love in His providence… but by revived confidence and renewed commitment – it should be an expression of faithfulness to God, of trusting God. But even more, of concern for the greater needs of the people of this nation – that they hear the gospel and come to faith. As we mourn it is with revived interest in the expansion of the Kingdom, in the advance of the gospel. We should be praising God for His larger program that deals with the core needs of humanity, and deals with it where and in a way that neither politics, social welfare, education or technology ever can. So in our mourning we think of the Christians witnessing though their own suffering, of Christian pastors, chaplains and counsellors as well as one another in our various walks of life being given opportunity to bear witness to God’s special grace in Jesus Christ which is so needed by all and which is so freely available to all who believe. Neither fire, flood not any other disaster browbeats us into the silence of fear or shame with reference to God and His work, but draws out of us renewed urgency and confidence in making known the gospel of God’s grace. Sensitive but not silent! Gentle yet faithful!
3 …rejoicing in God
Tragedy sometimes brings out the worst in people – as we saw in some who looted and of others in the copy-cat starting of other fires, increasing the tragedy. These evidenced some perverse sort of joy in the tragedy of others.
But that is not what we see here in v.17-18. Here is a spiritual joy that gives strength. Looking at the events caused him weakness, looking at God despite the events, at God who works in and through even the most horrific events to accomplish His saving purposes, filled him with joy.
That’s the point he is expressing. He doesn’t pretend to be able to explain what God is doing and why, but he sees God and what He knows of God fills him with a quiet confidence and inner joy that helps him to transcend the tragedy and to look for its fruit in God’s hands.
The believer doesn’t bow in a mere resignation (No point in getting upset as there is nothing I can do about it!), nor adopt a practical detachment (I’m not going to think about this!), let alone merely pluck up courage and get on with it (I’m not going to let this beat me! I’m going to be a man!) No he enters a state of actual rejoicing as he contemplates God and what He has revealed of His sovereign purpose of grace.
Do you know something of this? Of the sense of triumph that comes through Christ’s victory over the cross and grave? When hell is let loose and does its worst we are to be ‘more than conquerors’ (Rom 8:37). Of being able to “grieve, but not as those without hope”? Of being able to “comfort one another with these words” of the gospel reality and promise? (1 Thess 4:13, 18).
What makes this joy possible? Habakkuk looked back on the great facts of God’s dealings at the Exodus, and began to think about God, His power, His grace. As he did this the prophet began to feel better. So will we! Are we not in a more wonderful position as we look back on the facts of God’s mighty salvation which He worked out in Jesus Christ? The final deliverance from evil and suffering in our lives and the world is certain!
So long as Habakkuk looked at Israel and those who would terrorise it, he was troubled. But now he has returned to the realm of spiritual truth – the holiness of God, sin in man and the world – and he sees it all in a new light, he can rejoice in anticipation for what God will do through this for His kingdom and glory.
We mourn, but with hope because we see God and rest and live within His purpose. And it is God who gives “the oil of joy for mourning” (Isa 60:20). The image of oil speaks of the soothing and encouraging, the restorative as well as refreshing properties of oil placed upon wounds and sores. God promises in Jer 31:13 “I will turn their mourning into joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.” The great saving work of God through Jesus Christ is the oil that brings joy, transforming even the most painful situation, refreshing even the most troubled soul. We mourn but because of God we yet rejoice. And it is to God that we must call our neighbours and fellow citizens if they are to know this true and lasting joy.
John Stasse