Don’t be Waldorf or Statler!
Use any moans you have to mobilise you into the Father’s mission, says MPower’s Gordon Allan.
Who was your favourite ‘Muppet Show’ character? Kermit the frog? Fozzie Bear? Or perhaps it was Animal or Gonzo the Great? I would always laugh at the two grumpy guys on the balcony who moaned constantly. Waldorf and Statler were never happy, but they never did anything about it.
How do we react when something bothers us, men? There are plenty of things to make us moan, complain or bury our heads. Maybe it’s best for you to fill in your own blank...
The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk shows how men of God can transform their moans into a missional motivation.
Living some 600 years before Jesus, Habakkuk was a Levite and involved in the Temple worship, but he wasn’t a happy man. Injustice and unholiness are rife, and the people of God should know better.
The Babylonians were about to become the dominant superpower, bringing fear and destruction to Judah. Habakkuk has two complaining conversations with God.
He starts with, “How long, O Lord, must I call for help?” Habakkuk’s moan became a motivation to mission. Moaning might mobilise you to become God’s solution to the world’s situation. Here’s how: Stay on point Habakkuk declares, “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts,” (Hab 2:1). A ‘watchman’ was the sentry on the wall and is also the title given to a prayer warrior. Watchmen survey the horizon and raised the alarm physically and spiritually when danger approaches. The person who will be God’s solution watches and waits for God’s Word. Be intentional in seeking and hearing from God.
Speak clearly
Habakkuk was told “to write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it,” (2:2). Let’s make it our MPower mission to hear heaven’s strategy for the world and find creative opportunities to share it.
This stands in contrast to the backdrop of oppression, injustice, violence, sexual exploitation and idolatry that was occurring in Habakkuk’s day and, I would argue, is happening now, too (see 2:4-19).
Seek the promised glory
God declares that the earth “will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea,” (2:14). This brings hope, opportunity and responsibility to our doorstep and to the ‘uttermost parts of the earth’! Father God will do this, and he will use you and me to do it.
Habakkuk 3:19 declares, “The Lord is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet. He will make me to walk upon high places.” Habakkuk has gone from the valley of despair to feeling on top of the world. He understands that God has not forgotten him, is not finished with his people and has a rescue/restoration plan for us to step into.
This article first appeared in the November 2022 issue of Direction, Elim’s monthly magazine. Subscribe now to get Direction delivered directly to your home.
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