REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on June 21, 2016. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“God Is Always at Work Around Us”
Habakkuk 1:5-6
Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days
that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans….
About a year ago, someone broke into my wife’s car and stole the airbag. For those of you who don’t know, airbags are incredibly expensive and necessary for safety reasons. What made things worse was that this came after a string of bad luck with my wife’s car: battery problems, new tires were needed, and the car horn stopped working. With the bills adding up and no money to replace the airbag, it was a very frustrating time for us. We didn’t know how we were going to resolve this situation. Little did we know that God put it in the hearts of some people to buy an airbag for our car—it was a total surprise! Without us knowing, God was at work to help us in our need.
Habakkuk found himself in a frustrating situation of his own. He had been praying for God to act and bring justice to the land of Judah. He could no longer bear to see God’s people living in such blatant sin. However, it seemed to Habakkuk that God was idly standing by, not lifting a finger to deal with the issue. Yet Habakkuk could not have been more wrong. God responds and proclaims that He has been “doing a work” in their days to deal with the problem of injustice in Judah: He was raising up the Chaldeans to be an instrument of judgment for His people. Although this is a shocking turn of events (Chaldeans, also known as the Babylonians, were more evil than Israel), it proved that God was not standing idly by but actively working to bring about His justice.
In light of this, it is important for us to remember that God is always at work around us. Many of us question God’s nearness in times of difficulty and trouble, and this is only natural. Doubts are not wrong but part of our growing process. However, we must look to Scripture and stories like these to remind ourselves that silence does not mean inactivity on the part of God. He is always working, whether we recognize it or not, for our ultimate good. If you are going through a difficult season in your life and God seems nowhere to be found, be encouraged, for He is “doing a work” in your days to bring you goodness!
Prayer: God, help me to trust you in times of trouble and difficulty and to see that You are always faithful and near. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 4
Lunch Break Study
Read John 16:5-7: “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
Questions to Consider
- Why are the disciples filled with sorrow?
- After Jesus goes to the Father, who is coming to be with the disciples?
- How does knowing that the Helper (Holy Spirit) is present with us comfort you in times of hardship?
Notes
- The disciples are filled with sorrow because Jesus, their leader, will be leaving them.
- The Helper (the Holy Spirit) will be sent after Jesus ascends to the Father.
- Personal
Evening Reflection
As you’ve been reflecting today, in what ways do you see God working around you? Take some time today to pray and ask God to give you eyes to see the work He’s doing around you.