Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.
Had I started this Catch out with the above as my assessment of the current state of affairs in America, you wouldn’t have flinched. You might have even assumed I was a rather astute observer. Prophetic if anything. Destruction, violence, arguing and fighting, lack of justice in the courts, the wicked outweighing the righteous, justice perverted and the law, paralyzed (defund the police) — reads like the front page of my newspaper. But I didn’t write it. It is a direct quote of Habakkuk 1:3-4 from the Old Testament of the Bible. There is truly nothing new under the sun.
The important thing is what did Habakkuk do? Perhaps we can get some direction from him as to what a prophetic response to our times would be. Well, first, he climbed atop his watchtower to await how the Lord might respond to his complaint. That tells us something. While awaiting a word from the Lord we don’t hide away somewhere in a cave or a private room. We go to a vantage point where we have the best view of everything. God does not want us to unplug from the world. He wants us to be where we can observe. The idea is that when God speaks to us, it’s not isolated from what’s going on around us, but that God speaks to us out of what He is doing in the world.
When God does speak to Habakkuk, this is what He says: “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” Habakkuk 2:2-3
Habakkuk’s message dealt with the end times and what God would do to ultimately fulfill His promises to the nation Israel. Our message is for now, and it has to do with introducing everyone everywhere to the gospel of welcome — grace turned outward. This is a message that sharply contrasts the times. It is a message of hope in a time of fear and despair. And it is a message of welcome in a time of exclusivity and intolerance. And we, my dear Catch Community, are the runners. We are the ones to run with this message to everyone around us. Our boots are on the ground and we are ready to run. That’s why we must be younger than that now because we are called to run, not stroll or saunter or twiddle our thumbs or expect people to come to us. Run, not walk. Run!
John Fischer The Catch 
Amen to this: “And we, my dear Catch Community, are the runners. We are the ones to run with this message to everyone around us. Our boots are on the ground and we are ready to run. That’s why we must be younger than that now because we are called to run, not stroll or saunter or twiddle our thumbs or expect people to come to us. Run, not walk. Run!”
In reality, since Bobby died, my running has been reduced to tripping, limping, and crawling, accompanied by copious tears. Ironically, one bright point has shone forth. My Jehovahs Witness friend, whom I have been coming alongside for years. Out of her love for me, in an effort to bolster my faith, she has been sharing her bible studies with me, forcing me into The Word, allowing me to share my thoughts… in a way that teaches, but never preaches. She takes a great risk doing this, and out of respect for her, I follow the Spirit’s lead in what I share and how I word my sharing. There will be fruit here, in fact, there already is.
Psalm 139:5