The Speed of a Deer

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV).

Many of my readers have read of my lifetime of experiences in the outdoors. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and hiking, even though I’m not nearly as physically able to do as much as I once could. There is something very assuring for me when I am in the woods or on a lake. Perhaps one of the most common sights for me when deer hunting is the incredible speed with which a deer sensing danger can run away! On more than one occasion I have found myself “stalking” through the woods when I hear the familiar snort and stomp of a whitetail deer only to turn my head and see it fleeing with its white tail raised while warning every other deer within a hundred yards. If you live in deer country, no doubt you’ve seen a similar sight. The speed they can go from absolutely still to full run is impressive. This is the image capturing the surprising high note on which the prophet Habakkuk closes his book in our reading today. This ending is all the more impressive because the book starts out with a rough cry of despair: “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2). The prophet goes on to ask, in effect, “If you are the sovereign God of the universe, why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?” If we have ever felt trapped in a spiritually dark place, we may have thought the same things: How long must this go on? Where is God? Is he listening? Why won’t he just answer? From his dark place, Habakkuk emerges to a newly deepened faith, a faith not dependent on what he actually sees with his eyes. Indeed, he’s prepared for more struggles and waiting; yet he says, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” With this confession of faith on his lips, Habakkuk’s spirit is revived, like the springing, leaping feet of a deer on the hills. God’s answer to us ultimately came in the Incarnation, ultimately leading to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. When we are able to focus on the atoning work of Christ and the grace God has extended to us, it enables us to run to Him at full speed! Think on those things today! Your attitude will change instantly as quickly as the deer runs!