Watch and Pray

Sharing the same roof and most moments of every day in a forced quarantine with eight children is where you will find me currently. All in all, this atypical season can be celebrated as a win without much incident. Admittedly, they are not the problem. It’s me. 

My weakness is random mouth noises. You know, the clicks, ticks, and whistles occurring all the livelong day while I’m attempting to write complete sentences in the midst of nine other people, some dogs, cats, and a tortoise. Earbuds do not shut out this level of botheration. Give me humming, even hours of band instruments daily, and I’ll survive; but not this nonsensical racket. About a month into this persistent noise in close proximity, a fit of irritation erupted toward the guilty parties in the form of a conniption. 

Our man, Habakkuk, wasn’t simply airing his grievances to the Lord in classic conniption style. Instead, this prophet does something we should do in our present situation. 

"I will take my stand at my watchpost."

Instead of curling up somewhere counting his rolls of toilet paper or paralyzed at the magnitude of the calamity, the man looks out for those entrusted to him. In the midst of his lack of understanding, he takes his post, seeking direction from above. Hearing from the Lord is his solitary aim. He physically places himself in a position to hear. Then, he simply waits. 

What if you lose your job? Your health or your business? What should you do next? I don’t know. There are more “What if’s” ravaging our thoughts than we knew were possible a year ago. 

To flourish, watch and wait. Take your stand at your own “watchpost.” Assess that to which you have been entrusted, from family and beyond. This is a spiritual responsibility and what you take to the Lord.

Consider the physical place in which you will hear from God. I don’t know why we needed to know this about Habakkuk, but we also needed to know it about Jesus, Daniel, and Hannah. It’s provided to demonstrate there are times when our posture, as well as our physical presence, is of the essence. 

Today, there is no better time to station yourself to hear from the Lord, trusting Him as you await His response to being true to His character—a God faithful to the very end of the age.