COV LIFE BLOG

Habakkuk 3:16-19 – Rejoicing in the Lord Through Trial

As we conclude our most recent series in Habakkuk 3:16-19, we have discovered Habakkuk committing himself to obey God by waiting quietly for the Lord’s justice and to walk by faith by trusting entirely in God. There is no question about what was to come: impending violence and destruction were on the way, and it was the Lord’s hand at work to see this done. Yet still, we see a prophet committed to praising the name of God despite his body trembling at the thought of it all.

In much the same way, Christians throughout history have found themselves in seasons of heavy trial and despair. Yet, when we discover God’s faithfulness anew and learn to trust Him, we can find a certain rest and peace. And in these things we can remember that He is worthy of our praise in all seasons because of his good and trustworthy character in the midst of both prosperity and trial.

In light of these truths, please read and meditate the prayer below which is adapted from one used at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in 2009. It will serve as our prayer of praise this Sunday. Meditate on the truths in this prayer and come prepared to worship the Lord together with the church on Sunday morning. 

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Heavenly Father, 

We ascribe to You the glory due Your name and praise You for the splendor of Your holiness. We praise You because in Your holiness You are just, patient and wise. In You there is no bias motivated by wickedness or evil. Your vision is not distorted by sin. The vain things of this world do not distract You, and do not complicate Your motives.

Unlike us Your eyes see the true state of our hearts. With precision Your gaze sees the eternal value of all things, for You alone always view life through the lens of truth. So, we praise You and only You as our worthy and just Judge.

As Your people, who so often happily choose blindness instead of sight, and deafness instead of the hearing of Your voice, we marvel at Your patience; for in the very act of Your restraint the depth of Your kindness is illuminated and the nature of Your mercy displayed.

Every day that You endure the sinfulness of Your creation, the shades of Your compassion become more clear, and its shape more sweet. And God we praise You because, in Your just judgment and patience, You display perfect wisdom.

Throughout Scripture, Heavenly Father, we see that it is by Your will and Your word that all life, indeed all of creation, exists. Lord Jesus, it is by Your life, death, and resurrection, and Your faithful enduring obedience that the Father redeems those who are His. Holy Spirit, it is by Your work that the hearts of men are turned toward the Father and made capable of glorifying Him.

So, Lord, our hearts sing Your praise this morning, for You are the source of all justice, patience and true wisdom. We praise You because Your character and Your attributes turn the attention of all creation to the only one worthy of glory.

It is because of Your faithfulness that we can sing to You, even in the midst of trials. Even when the  “fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail, and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls,” we can sing, “Your love endures and Your ways are good.”

It is to the praise of Christ alone that we pray these things. 

Amen.

SONG FOR THIS WEEK
Lord From Sorrows Deep I Call by Matt Boswell & Matt Papa