The Joyful Burden

More documents

Recommendations

Info

This word is used less than 40 times in the New Testament, but it is used frequently by the Apostle Paul. In Classical Greek it originally meant a beating or to strike something or the physical consequences of being weary (Liddell-Scott, page 978). It came to refer to any kind of work that leads to exertion, pain, or hardship. It involved not only the activity of exertion and toil and the process of work, but it also referred to the resulting fatigue and exhaustion (Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Volume 1, page 262). Paul used kopos to describe the heavy burden of his ministry, which even caused him to receive physical blows (2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:23, 27). In Colossians 1:29, Paul described this kind of weariness as a result of his ministry to present every man mature in Christ, the goal for which he labored (kopos). In 1 Corinthians 15:58 Paul said that we should be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord because we know that our labor (kopos) would not be in vain. We can overcome the burden of our ministries, and the resulting fatigue, because of the strength of the Lord Jesus who is together yoked with us. His yoke makes ministry an exhausting, but joyful burden. Ministry is difficult. It involves preaching a message that not everyone wants to hear. It involves heavy responsibilities. It involves the crush of daily burdens, and it leads to exhaustion. But in all of the burdens of ministry, we have our wonderful Lord and Savior directly at our side. He is jointly yoked to us. And this causes ours to be a joyful burden. The Burden of a Sin-Saturated Society Henry Vosburgh 2 Peter 2:8, in speaking of Lot, shows the experience of a righteous soul being vexed (tormented) because he saw and heard the conditions of the wicked culture in Sodom and Gomorrah. This is the experience of any believer who has spiritual sensitivity to the sinful conditions that encompass him while living in an ungodly world. People who are made righteous through Christ will struggle under the burden of a growing sinfulness that surrounds them. And though this man Lot is not necessarily one for us to uphold as a role model, his experience is one that we can relate to here in our own increasingly sinful culture. The prophet Habakkuk went through a parallel experience in his own day. Reading his prophecy, we learn that he too had a very difficult time coming to grips with the sinful conditions in Judah during the late seventh century B.C. So vexed was Habakkuk's soul that he took his burden to the Lord Jehovah, pleading for God to intervene and help him with this burden against sin. Verses 2-4 reveal how he had repeatedly begged God to deal with the sinful culture of Judah, and how seemingly the prophet had gone unheard. Furthermore, Habakkuk was sorely troubled about having to witness the seemingly unchecked progress of iniquity. He rehearsed to God the conditions of the day, and then waited for a reply. In looking at how God answered His prophet in Habakkuk 1:5 we can find good comfort in our own struggles under the burden of sinful conditions. God's Commands "Behold…" God told Habakkuk to "behold … among the heathen." Where was Habakkuk looking, and what was he looking at? He was focused on Judah. He was looking at the sin, and the tragic results of sinners' sins. The reason he was frustrated about the situation and God's apparent inattentiveness to it was because he wasn't looking at the right place for answers. Habakkuk was looking at the problem and not at God's solution. The solution to the problem was not in God just "zapping" the people of Judah in judgment; He was going to use a different means
to restore justice and righteousness to His people. Habakkuk just wasn't looking in the right place to see it. How many times have we been so focused on the conflict that we failed to see the proverbial forest for the trees? We have all been frustrated when we witness evil people winning for the moment. We look for them "to get what's coming," and nothing ever seems to happen! The Lord's command to Habakkuk reminds us that where we are looking may not be where the answer comes from. In this case, the answer to Habakkuk's plea was coming from among the nations, not from within the people of Judah. Asking God for the right perspective is the first key to dealing with this kind of struggle. "Regard…" God next told Habakkuk to "regard," (i.e., to pay attention, to consider). As Habakkuk would behold the nations, something of relevance would happen among them that would be significant. Thus the prophet was commanded here to do more than just give a casual glance; he is commanded to look very carefully, to take serious notice of what was about to occur. Only by regarding would Habakkuk be able to pull himself out of the tunnel vision that prevented him from seeing God's solution off on the horizon. Again, how often is this true of us! Once we heed the exhortation to have a different perspective, we begin to get a sense of what God wants us to look at. Things won't dawn on us until we have an open mind about all the ways God might address the injustices that so grieve us. "Wonder…" God then tells Habakkuk to "wonder," or marvel at what he would behold; for what his eyes were about to take in would be quite amazing to witness. Habakkuk was going to be blown away by the answer God would reveal. In our moments of clarity, we readily acknowledge that God is a God Who takes pleasure in resolving problems in ways that no man could begin to surmise. He does this so man will remember his place; he is the creature, and God is the Creator. Just when we think that a situation is hopelessly desperate, God provides an answer that no one saw coming, nor could anyone imagine. The only reaction we can have is one of utter amazement at the eternal wisdom and power of God. These three commands become helpful to us, for they give us perspective when struggling under the burden of sinful conditions. They tell us to change to a new focus, study the new focus for what answer might be there, and prepare ourselves for an answer that will likely fall outside the bounds of imagination. The rest of Habakkuk 1:5 ministers to the soul that is struggling under the burden of sinful conditions: "… for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you." In these words are three additional helps given to us as God confirms how adequately He will deal with the sinful conditions surrounding Habakkuk. God's Confirmation The solution will be of God. Habakkuk wondered why God wasn't doing anything about the problems. Yet all the prophet's pleas are answered in one confirming truth that promises, "Be assured, I am going to deal with the sinful condition." We must remind ourselves God cannot go against His nature, and that part of His nature is His justice. We sometimes think that justice would be best dispensed as we think; but God's justice is perfect and completely harmonious with His nature. We are comforted it is God Who works and this will be done according to His perfect timing and will.
Page 1 and 2: An Independent Church Journal Novem
Page 3: that as we are yoked to Him, we lea
Page 7 and 8: ones. Here they are, roughly in the
Page 9 and 10: 12. It encourages people to become
Page 11 and 12: 5. The church must develop and impl
Page 13 and 14: Fourth, I was reminded that these l
Page 15 and 16: ecently lost his wife. Upon seeing
Page 17 and 18: named Sergey Totiev, identified him
Page 19 and 20: my congregation and shared the Gosp
Page 21 and 22: • Believers don't know how to pre

The Joyful Burden

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?