I will keep watch to see what God will speak to me.

​“I will stand on my guard post And station myself on the rampart; And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, And how I may reply when I am reproved.”

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/hab.2.1.NASB1995

I will keep watch to see what God will speak to me.

As I read this verse it seems to me that Habakkuk is a guard in the city of Jerusalem and his job is to watch the walls or gates. His job was at a guard house walking around on the rampart of the wall. And during his watch, he was watching outside the city, inside the city, and his heart! While he was at home or on his walk to work he prayed chapter 1. And now at work, he is expecting to see what God would speak to him. 

Do we station ourselves to expect God almighty to speak to us? Do we spend adequate time in prayer asking Him who, what, where, why, and how? Do we spend time in prayer telling Him yesterday or today went? Is our spirit in tune with His Holy Spirit so that way we may be able to see what He has to say to the churches? 

If we feel we are too busy to make time for God let me present three people who found time for God. 

“Now the Lord said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered. So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen anywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of that mountain.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/exo.34.1-3.NASB1995

Moses was the leader and the judge of the multitude of a nation to be called Israel who was wandering around the desert at the direction of God. He of all people would be busy. His father-in-law even told him he was too busy. But he took the time to be ready before daybreak to climb up the mountain while carrying the stone tablets that would become the Ten Commandments.

“In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.5.3.NASB1995

The writer of this Psalm is David. Yes, that David, king of Israel. He would be either King or Shepherd at the time he wrote this song. He would be seeing over 1,000’s of people who would be looking for Him to rule the kingdom, or he would be watching over 100’s of sheep who would be known to wander away at a moment's notice. His role never really changed, and so did his need to pray and listen to God in the morning!

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭35‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/mrk.1.35.NASB1995

Jesus was the son of God who stepped out of divinity to walk among the people of that great nation called Israel. Yet He got up early and spent time praying while it was still dark!

There is something to be said for spending a few uninterrupted minutes with God in prayer and the Bible before the sun rises on our busy days. Most of Brian’s Quiet Time Thoughts happen before the sun raises. Today I started at 6:30. 

“For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/1th.3.10.NASB1995

But then there is the time of night. Often God speaks of praying day and night. Our day times consult getting today's orders and at night comes our reflection on what God did to us and through us. Once again consider Jesus. In John 17 we have a lengthy prayer in which Jesus is reporting to God what has happened during his previous 3 years as he is faced with the cross in the next 24 to 48 hours. 

“Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You. 

I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬, ‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.17.1-5.NASB1995

If we are too busy to pray and read in the morning and at night then we are too busy with the wrong things. Maybe that is why the world is in such disarray today.