Word for 2012~JOY

I am completely fascinated by the book of Habakkuk. It records a conversation between the prophet and God. It's a record of honest, gut wrenching searching and resolution. 


Habakkuk begins by accusing God of not hearing his prayers. He is in anguish over the sin he sees around him. He wonders why God isn't dealing with the sin and violence. God answers that He is indeed going to deal with the evil by raising up the Babylonians to punish His people.


This confuses Habakkuk. Why would God use a nation more evil to punish His people? God answers:


“See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness--" Hab. 2:4

God will punish the Babylonians for their sin as well.

Then, at the end of chapter 2, there is this beautiful statement: 

"The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him." Hab. 2:20

This is where God has had me for years...understanding and acknowledging that He is in complete control. He has not "left the building." He is in His holy temple. For especially the last six years, I have been learning and relearning this lesson, applying it to different areas of my life. God is in control, He loves me and leads my life, and I can rest, really REST in Him. I can trust my God who is in active control.

But there's more for me than that...chapter 3...Habakkuk recounts and reflects on who God IS:

"LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy." Hab. 3:2

...And then surrender. Habakkuk knows what is coming: judgement, destruction, poverty, siege, captivity. It's going to be bad. But the prophet has made an incredible, beautiful realization. God is enough...take it all...God is enough. 

"I heard and my heart pounded,
my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls," (Hab. 3:16-17)

And here comes my verses for 2012 and inspiration for my focus word, "JOY":

"yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be JOYful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights."

I've learned (and will relearn for life) that God is in control and that He leads my life and that I can trust Him. Now, it's time to learn that God is ENOUGH and as long as I have Him I can rejoice and be JOY full. I believe that is the secret of being able to "tread on the heights," to travel where ever God would lead not matter how difficult and being ABLE to do it and with rejoicing and JOY. That's the goal... If there is a New Years Resolution, that's it, though I am quite sure it will have to be learned well past 2012... I'm ready to get started. :)