Habakkuk 3:2 “O Lord, I have heard of your renown, and I stand I awe, O Lord, of your work.  In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known; in wrath may you remember mercy.”

This prayer of Habakkuk speaks to my heart.

I cannot imagine what He was experiencing as he wrote this prayer but I suspect his prayer was at least as earnest as mine is today.  He had not seen the Messiah come yet.  The Israelites knew about him but had not seen him yet.  God had done many splendid works from the beginning of time and we are all able to see those and stand in awe of the Lord.

Those of us reading this verse today have seen the coming of the Messiah, we have seen the redemption and the revival and we know of God’s mercy, yet...

We wait.  We can join in the words of this prayer because we still wait for the completion of his plan.  I look out and see a pink and orange sunrise gleaming in the sky and in the midst of the muck in the world, it gives me peace and hope.

We watch the news, we see the destruction all around but we can hold hope and peace in our hearts because we have heard of the Lord’s renown.  We know he was and is and will be merciful to us.

I will not stop working for the Lord as I wait.

We cannot know his timing but we know he is faithful and in his time all will come to completion.  Mercy and love prevail today and tomorrow.

Lord,

If we gaze at the horrors of this time let us also gaze on the blessings and mercies of this time.  Keep our eyes open to see beyond the death in this time and place and guide our vision to see the Life in this time and place as well.  You are still working and whether it is in my time or not, I know your plan will be fulfilled and mercy will triumph over all.  I praise you and thank you for this hope we can hold in our hearts until you come.  Amen.