August 16 - I Will Rejoice in the Lord

August 16 - Habakkuk 3:1-19 - I Will Rejoice in the Lord

Habakkuk is one of those prophetic books that rarely gets read and yet there are so many beautiful words to be found here. Read Habakkuk 1:5, "Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told."

Or Habakkuk 2:14 "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

And the very familiar Habakkuk 2:20, "But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all earth be silent before him."

The third chapter of Habakkuk though, speaks of the Day of the Lord when He will come to earth and destroy the evil and bring forth His eternal reign.

This is one of the chapters that you need to read to feel the power of the words. I could talk about them, but that's not where the power resides, it is in the way that Habakkuk hears them from the Lord and translates them for the people of Israel. He uses incredibly imaginative words and draws the reader into the images that he sees as he receives these words from God.

Habakkuk 3:1, "Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy."

These words need to be prayed and cried out by all of us regularly. We know who you are, Lord. We know what you've done in the past. Dear Lord, do those same things today, make Yourself known to the nations. And in Your wrath over our sin, we are thankful for your mercy, made known to us through Jesus Christ.

And after Habakkuk describes in glorious words the movement of God throughout the world bringing His wrath for the sin committed on earth, we see his acknowledgement of the truth of his relationship with the Lord.

Habakkuk 3:18-19, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights."

Today, yes Lord. Bring your will to the earth. Make Your will known to us. It may be the worst thing we've ever experienced, but You are our strength and we will rejoice in You!