Sister Tarpley: Made for Heights

By Sister Tarpley, NDG Religion Editor

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like hinds feet, he enables me to go on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:19).

The book of Habakkuk inspired Martin Luther’s reformation; and the book “Hinds Feet on High Places.” Hind’s feet enable a donkey and other such animals to walk up mountains without them falling off, the writer Hannah Hunnard wrote the book.

Habakkuk encourages us to question what God is doing in our lives and how we can increase our faith to do what God desire for us to do.  Because sometime when we are thrown into suffering for a period of time, or our enemies are prospering while we are just barely getting by, we begin to wonder about the equity of God and our lives.  Habakkuk affirms that God is God all by Himself and that we are made to scale the mountains of adversity whenever they come and whatever the direction they come from.

We just need to be still and know God is at work to make us more like Christ.  He is who He says He is and does keep His promises, He is forever faithful.  God equips believers to scale the heights even in the midst of great challenges.  He enables us to go to the higher places with Him where we are set apart from the world.  (A story is told of a man on a plane and saw a snake crawling around, the man told the captain.  The captain said that he would take the plane to a higher altitude which would kill the snake.)  There may be a time when the way we have to go to get us through suffering and sorrow is to claim higher, and, if we rest in Him and trust Him we come out where He wants us.

When Jesus told the disciples that He was going to send the Holy Spirit to them, it was in order for them to scale the mountain before them with a new form of power they had not experienced.  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”   (Acts 1:8).

If you find yourself in a place of doubting God and His plan for your life, know that this is a normal aspect of your journey in God.   However, know that God has made available His Holy Spirit in order for us to accomplish the tasks that lie ahead.  God’s Word gives us so much enlightenment and precious promises that we may trust and cling to.  “Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, my servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves me.”   John 12:26

Ask God to lift up your brothers and sisters in Christ who are so faithful to follow Him anywhere they are persecuted for doing so.  God has promised to honor them for believing in Him and standing in faith.  Pray that God will meet their every need.  Pray for peace beyond understanding for good health; for basic life needs of food, clothing, and shelter; for fellowship with other Christians; for protection from harm and evil; and for opportunities to share the Gospel and witness His love in the Name of Jesus