“O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid.  O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years—in the midst of the years make known:  In wrath remember mercy.”


Habakkuk 3:2

Until He closes the door, we should continue living in hope (Ps. 16:9; Acts 2:25-26; Rom. 5:1-5; 12:12; 15:13; I Cor. 9:10).

Oh how quiet the heavens when it seems the Lord God has turned a deaf ear to us.  Like Habakkuk, we cry “O Lord, how long shall I cry and You will not hear?  I even cry unto You because of the violence and You will not save” (1:2).  And, everywhere we look it would appear evil is escalating and soon His Hand of Judgment will fall upon us and our land (1:3-4).

And, it may be.

But, when such doubts and fears flood our hearts and minds, we must still feel the tugging of “the two-chained Anchor of the Soul” (Heb. 6:17-20) in the depths of our being.  Truly, the hour is late—maybe 11:57 or 11:58 p.m. on the last days’ clock; however, just as those in Noah’s day could have gotten aboard the ark even in the final few seconds, so is our God merciful and will allow any (like the thief on the cross) to enter into His Kingdom if they’ll only believe.

Most assuredly, like Habakkuk, we’ve read God’s Word and “heard His speech.”  No wonder, like the heavy-hearted prophet, we “are afraid.”  Such is always the case for those whose spiritual eyes have been opened and see “the handwriting on the wall” (Dan. 5:1-25).  Like someone who sees the railroad bridge over a deep ravine having collapsed. . .and a trainload of passengers barreling down the tracks toward certain destruction. . .great horror fills our soul.

“Please, please, come to Jesus,” we cry.

But, they will not listen.

As the people were in Noah’s day—partying hardy and oblivious to their grievous sins and the coming Judgment—so are so many today (Mt. 24:36-44).  But, we should not throw up our hands in hopeless despair; instead, like Habakkuk, we should cry O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years—in the midst of the years make known:  In wrath remember mercy.

That was the message of Hosea to his countrymen (“There’s wrath in God’s Love and Love in God’s wrath”).  And, so should it also be ours to any “who have ears to hear” (Rev. 2:11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).  Like the “watchman on the wall” (Ez. 33:1ff) we should sound the alarm, crying “Today, if you will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts. . .” (Heb. 3:7-8a).

Even if our faith is small and all around us “the fig tree is not blossoming. . .the vines are barren. . .the fields are fruitless. . .the flock is scattered. . .and the stalls are empty” (Hab. 3:17). . .we should still “rejoice in the Lord, Who is the God of our salvation” (v.18).  And, we should pray “O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years—in the midst of the years make known that there’s still mercy in Your wrath.”

And, maybe, just maybe, by “sowing in tears we’ll reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5-6) before it’s eternally too late.  Why not pause right now, Pilgrim, and whisper, “The Lord is in His Holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him” (Hab. 2:20)?  Then listen and tell others what He’s said.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated July 15, 2009

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