(Author:Keirn OConnor Source:https://www.flickr.com/photos/keirn/77876813/)
“I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply when I am reproved.”
In chapter one, Habakkuk cried out as the voice of Judea aghast
at God’s devastating judgment of the them by using the Chaldeans to correct and
reprove them. In chapter two verse one, Habakkuk determined and expected to hear
from God. He wanted a chance to hear from God more, to understand better, to
receive more instructions, and, possibly, to complain. Habakkuk, as the trained
priest of the temple or a prophet, knew to wait for and listen to God, and how
to do that.
What did Habakkuk say in verse one? He made one statement
and reiterated it to emphasize how important it was to him. He said, “I will
stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart.” A guard is a person
who is a servant of another, a commander. His job is to do what the boss tells
him to do. For the commander to speak to him, the guard must be in his assigned
place, on guard watching and waiting expectantly. A guard’s job at his post on
the rampart was to watch for incoming enemies or couriers bringing news. The
rampart was a place on the wall away from the noise of the city. It was high
enough to see far and wide from the wall so couriers or enemies would not catch
the citizens unaware. If the guard was at ground level, he would have no
advance notice of anyone approaching the gates. The guard and citizens would be
caught off-guard when news or enemies arrived. The guard’s job was to watch and
wait expectantly, then report what he sees and hears to the commander and
people.
Habakkuk made the analogy he is the guard. He would stand on
guard at his post on the rampart waiting with expectancy and patience for God
to meet with him. Habakkuk was the guard, the watchman, for the Judeans waiting
for revelations from God. His job was to be the mouth for God’s pronouncements
to the Judeans and for anyone else to whom God wanted to speak. Habakkuk
expected God to speak and so prepared and positioned himself to wait expectantly
and patiently for Him.
Habakkuk chose to hear from God. He intentionally stationed
himself on the rampart because he listened to God’s judgment of the Judeans in
chapter one. Habakkuk recognized the sins of his people and understood they
deserved God’s judgment. He also realized when he told the Judeans about their
judgment from God, anger, confusion, fear, and questions would arise. Habakkuk,
as a Judean, wanted to understand better. That’s what the word “see” means in
Hebrew. It means to hear, perceive, consider, and understand. As a priest of Yahweh
God, Habakkuk wanted to know God better and understand His heart more. As a
priest to the Judeans, he wanted to understand well so he could give the Judeans
reasons for their judgment from God.
Habakkuk sought God because he knew God; he had a personal relationship
with Him. He sought Him because it was a discipline that became a habit in his
life. Habakkuk sought God because he had a relationship with him of love and
servanthood. He devoted himself to God. Habakkuk’s determined seeking of God-waiting
patiently and expectantly knowing God wanted to be with Him-was his devotion time, his quiet time, with God.
A guard on the rampart is an analogy for being a child of
God who seeks Him through devotion and quiet times. So often people say, “Well
I am open to God to talk to me all day. He can speak to me as I work or drive,
so I don’t need, nor do I have time for a quiet time each day. God understands
that.” Yes, God understands you are busy, and you put your busy-ness before
Him. Your devotion to God is not absolute like Habakkuk’s when your schedule is
more important than your time with Him each day. A quiet time is a time you expectantly
and patiently wait for God to speak to you externally through His Word and internally
through the whispers of His Spirit. It would be hard to hear God over conversations
with other people, music in your car, busy-ness in your office, or the roar of
the vacuum. That’s not saying God can’t break into your day, if He wants. By
living this way, it says God is not important enough in your life. You are not devoted
totally to Him and so set aside a time to wait and expect Him to meet with you.
Why do we have quiet times and devotionals?
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To deepen our relationship with God through
communing together.
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To hear a word of encouragement, love, correction,
or instruction.
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To draw strength and peace from His Spirit.
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To find calm during your busy-ness.
God knows how to fill the needs of our hearts, minds,
bodies, and spirits. Quiet times with Him do this.
Why do we have quiet times? Because as a child of God, we naturally
yearn to be close to Abba, Daddy.
Don’t neglect
yourself by chasing butterflies. Go to God, the butterfly Maker.
