A recent newspaper article commented that current lockdown legislation was sucking the joy out of life: ‘Cancellation looms for Halloween, Christmas, bonfire night, and just about everything else that gives anybody any joy or meaning during Britain’s dark, long winters.’
No singing and other restrictions placed on church gatherings means that it’s easy to be swept along on this tidal wave of despair. But, in a strange way, the uncertainty of these days helps us hear with greater clarity God’s whisper to our soul: ‘What are you living for? Who are you living for?’ These ‘no celebration’ days encourage us to turn like never before to God and to rediscover the true source of joy.
Most of us have never experienced the barrenness or desolation that Habakkuk endured. The Babylonians decimated Israel’s infrastructure and food supply; everything was stripped away. What we are dealing with today is a pale reflection, but Habakkuk’s conclusion still applies to us:
