God wants to develop me into a “yet” Christian, and I must respond to this. A “yet” Christian is one who, like Habakkuk, faces a bleak, dismal future and says, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18, KJV). Because of the near invasion of Babylon, Habakkuk could see that shortly the fig trees would not blossom, the vines would not grow fruit, the olive would fail, the fields would produce no crops, and no herds would be found in the stalls. In other words, hopelessness. What was the prophet’s response to all this? “Yet I will rejoice.”
It is easy to praise in the midst of plenty, but praise in the midst of poverty is true sainthood. It is all very well to sing “Hallelujah” with a full stomach, but can I sing it into an empty flour barrel? I am nice and loyal to God if He helps me; but am I still loyal if He does not? Like Peter, I am full of boast in the upper room, but what about when I am near the courtyard fire?
I am afraid that much of my religion is the “excrescence” type— the result of a comfortable stomach, the substance of my leisure moments. Too often it is my afterthought, my extra curriculum, my suburban status symbol. When God sends a Babylon to decimate me, I have a hard time saying, “Yet I will rejoice.” I fear I am a soldier for the parade, not the battle. I love the bands, the flags, the cheering; but gunfire makes me nervous!
I need to learn what Habakkuk learned: “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4, KJV). If I can only master that all-important lesson, I will not have to worry about my “yet’s.” I will have enough of them for time—and for eternity! Thank You, Lord, that You are “long suffering toward us” (2 Peter 3:9, NSRB) and because of that patience You are preparing me to become a “yet” Christian.
“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7).
Daily with the King 