Editor's note. On Friday I offered you excerpts from the first half of a remarkable Prayer Breakfast speech delivered at NRLC 2008 by Charles and Kay James.  I am confident you will be as moved and motivated by what Kay has to say today as you were by what Charles said in Friday's TN&V.

[The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk asks] "How long, oh Lord, must I call for help?" How many times have you said that? How long, God? How long before we see justice prevail? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do I have to feel the injustice all around us? And, the verse goes on to talk about the violence, "and Lord, the violence in the womb grieves me." How long? …

But God answers that question [in the book of Habakkuk] and He gives our instructions. And so, I want to remind you this morning because, you know, we are not unlike the prophet, in asking God that question and living in a country where we feel that injustice prevails and there's violence in the womb. And the answer is, as Charles said, quoting verse two of chapter two, "I will stand at my watch, and I will station myself on the ramparts."

So what does that mean? There's a very famous pastor in the area here, in the Washington, D.C. area. Every time he reads scripture he ends his sermon with, "So what?" In other words, "Yes, I understand what it says but 'so what'?" What are the implications for me? And so, as we look at that scripture and we read that, "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts." So what? What does that mean for you and what does that mean for me?

I will stand at my watch--which means I am a soldier in the cause and I have job to do; and while I am waiting for justice to prevail I will stand at the ready. …

Delay does not mean denial. The answer is coming. How do I know? It's because it's in those next verses that Charles read to you. "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it."  A herald was the message-bearer; if we put it in modern day terms it would say, "Put it out on the Internet." …

How many of you would call yourself a person of faith? Then I will tell you what my husband said to a very dear friend of ours when He was in crisis. People were coming at him from all sides; He was indeed being challenged publicly. He called us and said,

"Would you come and stand with me during this particularly difficult time in my life?" And when Justice Thomas called (He wasn't Justice Thomas then), Charles and I went over. Charles asked him what I believe to be one of the most profound questions of all as he was going through those tortuous confirmation hearings. Charles said, "You say you believe in God." [Thomas] said, "Yes, I do." [And Charles responded] "Then act like it." You say you that you are people of faith, so act like it. …

I am one of those people who has the audacity to believe that prayer works--I just believe God. Call me crazy, but I believe Him and I believe that He's a God that answers prayer and that's why I'm so grateful that a part of your convention--our convention--is a prayer breakfast. …God is in control, He's not left the universe. It is our jobs to trust Him when He says, "I want you to write down this message and I want you to send it out" and though the answer may linger--wait for it. …I am not discouraged and I'm willing to wait on God.

And so, I encourage you to shore yourselves up spiritually as well as to shore yourselves up with the best knowledge, information, and strategies. Get it all while you're here. And just remind yourselves when you do get discouraged, that because the answer doesn't come today, doesn't mean the answer isn't coming.

Thank you.

If you have any thoughts on this, please drop me a line at daveandrusko@hotmail.com