A Short Watchtower - Autumn Wilson

I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Habakkuk 2:1 NIV

Our home almost killed my mom, and I was angry—but only because I looked on from a short watchtower. 

It took years after she became ill for us to uncover the pitch-black mold coating our insulation. We later discovered that health issues from mold had triggered the previous owners to sell the house to us—a detail neither they nor their realtor disclosed.

After pouring sweat, tears, and thousands of dollars into the house, we eliminated the pestilence and sold the house. For years, I scanned the horizon for even a spark of righteous judgment—one of the suit-clad lawyers from the billboards marching his away across our lawn with righteous indignation and a hefty check, perhaps. He never arrived. How could God watch while my mom suffered? How could he not punish the previous owners? 

Habakkuk, the prophet, asked God why he allowed his people to suffer injustice and violence from lawlessness. The Lord told the prophet that he planned to correct Judah by using the Chaldeans—a “ruthless and impetuous people.” 

Habakkuk complained again. How could God punish the sins of Judah while tolerating the evils of Chaldea? What judge allows a bank robber to chastise a petty thief? Whose court permits a murderer to condemn a trespasser? While standing atop his tower and scanning the horizon, the prophet demands an answer.

God assures the prophet he will punish the Chaldeans as well. Yet, the Lord doesn’t end his response with an itinerary of his judgment. Rather, he declares his sovereignty: “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (2:20). 

We rightly ask God to exact justice. Yet, his justice extends beyond what we see in our short watchtowers. No matter how high we climb, we always fail to see God’s whole plan. I did. 

• Has your mom started telling people you stole her Floridian lawn flamingos?

• Has your catalytic converter disappeared?

• Has your family suffered harm from homeowners’ hiding information?

Pray for and pursue justice. But if God chooses to delay, trust him in the meantime. God’s justice will come like a raging fire—even if we never see the spark. 

Tweetable: Are you watching what God is doing in your life? 

Autumn Wilson is a writer and perpetual student of church history. She lives in Dallas, TX, where she studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. On any given day, you can find her staring at a blank Word document, wrangling third graders at church, furrowing her brows at Anselm, or creating homemade escape rooms. 

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A Proven Word - Martin Wiles

God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. Psalm 18:30 NLT

Befriending a liar is a taxing endeavor.

Ben was a friend who entered my family by way of marriage. Initially, I took everything he said at face value. Then I began talking with someone who had known him longer than I had. Suddenly, Ben’s stories took on a new appearance. Stories he told just seemed too good to be true. Perhaps the truth was in the story somewhere, but it was embellished so much that it was unrecognizable. My friendship with Ben was never what it could have been because I couldn’t trust what he said as the complete truth.

Ann also entered my family by way of marriage. Whereas Ben exaggerated to make himself look better or to make his stories more interesting, Ann told plain lies. Not so much in the words she spoke but in the information she withheld. As with Ben, I initially took her words at face value. Then I began talking with people who had known her longer than I had. Their stories agreed: “You can’t believe anything she says. She’s a perpetual liar.” 

But the story doesn’t stop with two. Charlie was another by-marriage family member who had trouble telling the truth. Not initially when she entered the family but later on when she went through some type of mid-life crisis. Determining whether or not I could believe her made associating with her taxing—and unpleasant.

Thankfully, God doesn’t mince words, renege on words, or utter words that aren’t true. Every command God gives has a purpose, and every promise He makes will come to pass. Friends—and family members, who are as good as their word are much easier to have a relationship with. When I’m never lied to, I never have to worry about whether what they say is true. I accept it as fact.

Each and every word God speaks is truth. In a time when many are wondering where truth can be found, I’m betting my life on the truth of God’s Word. According to its own testimony, it is inspired, relevant, and error-free. God’s Spirit inspired the writers, and they penned what He wanted said. It is truth that has stood the test of time and will endure to the end of time.

When you’re looking for something you can depend upon, look to God’s Word.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for giving us Your Word, which is dependable, trustworthy, inspired, and profitable for any situation we face in life. 

Tweetable: Are you speaking truth? 

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