No Matter What – The Presidential Prayer Team

The righteous shall live by his faith. – Habakkuk 2:4

In Chapter 1: 2-4 and 1:12-17 of Habakkuk, the prophet has two complaints. One is that there is so much strife, violence and wrong doing that the wicked hem in the righteous and justice is perverted. The second is that injustice seems to prevail and God seems to be taking His time, allowing evil to run rampant over the innocent. In today’s world, you may have the same complaints. It doesn’t take listening to the news very long to hear similar issues. What was God’s reply to Habakkuk?

God’s response to Habakkuk’s first complaint was not something anyone wanted to hear. He was raising up the Chaldeans to ruthlessly take over. To Habakkuk’s second complaint, the Lord told him that He would bring about justice against the marauding invaders. In the third chapter, Habakkuk puts his hope in the Lord to bring about justice and commits himself to Him no matter how things turn out.

Today’s verse is found within God’s second reply. “The righteous shall live by faith.” No matter what mayhem is going on, the righteous make it through by faith, trusting in God no matter what. Hold God’s promises near and dear to your heart and do what Habakkuk did—pray and commit yourself to God, regardless of how things may appear in the mmoment.

Pray for justice to be restored to the nation and that righteousness will prevail. Pray that freedom of religion and speech will be restored and protected in public places, especially schools, and the gospel will not be suppressed.

Today’s Verse: Habakkuk 2:4

Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
    but the righteous shall live by his faith.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Habakkuk 3:1-2, 16-19

3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.

²O Lord, I have heard the report of you,
    and your work, O Lord, do I fear.
In the midst of the years revive it;
    in the midst of the years make it known;
    in wrath remember mercy.

I hear, and my body trembles;
    my lips quiver at the sound;
rottenness enters into my bones;
    my legs tremble beneath me.
Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
    to come upon people who invade us.

¹⁷Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
¹⁸yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
¹⁹God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer’s;
    he makes me tread on my high places.