“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.”
—Habakkuk 2:2 (NIV)
Clarity Fuels Obedience
In an age of constant distractions, vision leaks. We may start with passion, purpose, and direction, but over time, the pressure of life, the confusion of circumstances, and the noise of the world blur our focus. That’s why God told the prophet Habakkuk to write the vision down and make it plain. Not poetic. Not mysterious. Not abstract. Plain.
We don’t need fog. We need focus.
God gives revelation, direction, and truth that we are meant to receive, remember, and respond to. But once we receive it, it’s our responsibility to clarify it. To make it plain.
The Power of a Written Vision
In Habakkuk 2, the prophet has just brought a heartfelt complaint before the Lord. He’s disturbed by injustice, troubled by the wicked prospering, and confused about God’s silence. Then he says, “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts” (Hab. 2:1). He positions himself to hear from God.
And God answers.
But God doesn’t just give him a word—He gives him instructions about what to do with the word:
Write it down.
Make it plain.
Put it where others can run with it.
A vision that’s only in your head can be forgotten. A vision that’s overly complicated will go nowhere. A vision made plain can be lived out—by you and by those God has called to walk with you.
When you make it plain, others can run with it.
What Does It Mean to “Make It Plain”?
To make it plain means to simplify without watering it down. It means to clarify God’s call, not complicate it. It means to strip away all the extra noise and say, “This is what I’m here for. This is what God has said. This is what I must do.”
Making it plain may involve:
- Writing down what God has spoken to you in prayer or through Scripture
- Defining the burden He has placed on your heart
- Articulating your purpose in a sentence or two
- Listing the specific steps of obedience required to carry it out
A vague calling leads to vague living. But a clear word from God—made plain—becomes a compass in the chaos.
Why We Avoid Making It Plain
Sometimes we overcomplicate things because plain truth makes us uncomfortable. If we make it plain, we have no more excuses. We have to act.
A plain vision confronts our complacency. It cuts through procrastination. It demands alignment.
It’s easier to say “I’m still praying about it” than to say “God has called me to do this, and I must obey.” Making it plain removes the veil of indecision.
But the cost of avoiding clarity is too high. It leads to spiritual wandering and half-hearted obedience. And God didn’t call us to wander—He called us to walk by faith.
Running With the Vision
Once the vision is plain, we can run with it. That was the point of writing it on tablets. In Habakkuk’s time, messages were often delivered by runners—messengers who would carry the king’s edicts, prophecies, or urgent news to other cities or regions.
The vision wasn’t just for the prophet. It was for the people.
The same is true today.
When you make the vision plain, it becomes transferable. Others can catch it. Follow it. Join it. Align with it.
- A family mission statement that’s simple and God-honoring can shape generations.
- A church vision made plain can unify a body of believers.
- A personal calling made clear can help you say no to distractions and yes to divine appointments.
What’s unclear can’t be followed. But what’s plain can be lived out.
What If I Don’t Have a Vision?
Sometimes people say, “I want to make it plain, but I don’t even know what the vision is.”
Start with what you do know.
- You were created to glorify God.
- You were saved to make disciples.
- You were gifted to serve others.
- You were placed where you are for a reason.
As you faithfully obey in the small things, God reveals more.
Clarity often comes in motion, not before it. Take the next right step, and God will illuminate the one after that. Ask Him to speak, and then listen carefully. Keep a journal. Stay in His Word. And when He speaks—make it plain.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Perfect
We sometimes delay making the vision plain because we’re afraid it’s incomplete. We say, “I don’t know everything yet.” But God often reveals just enough light for the step you’re on.
Make that much plain.
You may not have the whole picture, but you can still write down the part He’s shown you. As you walk in obedience, the rest will come into view.
If Noah had waited until he had blueprints for the whole ark, he may never have begun. But he built plank by plank, step by step. Obedience doesn’t require perfect understanding—it requires trust.
Make It Plain for the Next Generation
There’s also a legacy to plain vision. What we write down today can guide others tomorrow.
Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (KJV). Without clear revelation, people cast off restraint. They lose direction. They wander.
But a clearly articulated word from God brings life, focus, and endurance.
Write it down—not just for yourself, but for your children, your church, your community. Let the written vision point people to the living Word.
Final Thought: Plain Truth, Bold Obedience
God is still speaking. He is still calling. He is still giving vision. But it’s our job to receive it, write it, and run with it.
Don’t let the word God gave you get lost in the shuffle of life.
Don’t leave it buried in your memory or locked in a notebook.
Bring it out. Make it visible. Make it readable.
Make it plain.
And then run.
Run with purpose.
Run with faith.
Run knowing that God watches over His Word to fulfill it (Jeremiah 1:12).
Because what God has spoken—plain or profound—is always powerful.
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