今天我们要展开一段新的旅程。这段旅程将要提示我们必须采取甚么样的步骤，然后才能够从迷惘走到信靠，或者是从恐惧走到信心。毫无疑问──至少对我来说是这样──我们正面对人类历史其中一个最重要的时刻。地球上数以百万计的人都感到极其困惑。他们不能肯定政治领袖和科学家是否知道自己在做些甚么。最近其中一件给人带来极大打击的事情──爱滋病这种可怕的疾病──正在给世界各地造成越来越大的恐慌。无论我们从哪个角度去看我们的世代，都会发现似乎有些事情崩溃了，生命似乎悬而未决。

我们此刻正面对的问题是：身为神的百姓，该如何怀着信心平静地行走人生道路？我们能否发现一些公式，可以在我们走过这个患病和混乱的世界崎岖不平的山坡时，双脚不致滑倒？我相信是有的，而那公式在哈巴谷的预言中清楚显示。虽然哈巴谷在开始他的书卷时感到全然混乱，但今天的经文让我们看到，在结束的时候他却充满了信心。

哈巴谷怎么样发现那公式，让他在走过他那个时代的崎岖路段时可以好像鹿子一样步履稳健？我们在未来的日子会找出这个问题的答案。不过，在我们开始以前，容许我先给你一个建议：不要急于得到答案，因为寻找的过程越深入，最终的发现越能令人欢欣鼓舞。

Today we embark upon a journey that will reveal the steps we must take in order to move , or from fear to faith. There can be no doubt, to my mind at least, that we are facing one of the most momentous times in human history. Millions of the earth's inhabitants are bewildered. They are not sure that the political leaders and scientists know what they are doing. One of the most recent scares to hit humanity - the dreadful disease "AIDS" - is causing growing consternation in all parts of the world. However we look at our generation, something appears to have snapped and life is left dangling at loose ends.

The question that faces us at this hour is this: How can we, as God's people, walk through life with confidence and poise? Is there some formula we can discover, that will prevent our feet from slipping and sliding as we traverse the rocky slopes of this sick and confused world? I believe there is - and that formula is brought clearly into focus in the prophecy of Habakkuk. Although he begins his book in utter confusion, he ends, as we see from our text for today, in a spirit of abounding confidence.

How did Habakkuk discover the formula that enabled him to walk with the sure-footedness of a deer across the rough terrain of his times? We shall discover the answer to that question in the days to come. Permit me to give you a word of advice, however, before we start: don't be too anxious to find that answer. For the deeper the search the more joyous the eventual discovery.