I Stand in Awe
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.
Habakkuk 3:2
“Habakkuk enters God’s presence with a healthy fear of the Lord. The statement, I stand in awe of your deeds, shows his humility and worshipful attitude as he remembered the many amazing things God had done for His people. This attitude, sometimes called the fear of the Lord, is increasingly rare in today’s world, even among God’s people. The drift in Christianity over the past several decades has been to downplay God’s omnipotence and justice. We sometimes refer to God in casual terms like ‘the man upstairs’ or our ‘big Daddy’ and even take His name in vain.
A proper attitude toward God might be likened to the awe tinged with fear that we feel when visiting the ocean. We see that it is immense and powerful, and we enjoy watching the waves and even playing in the surf. Yet we are never so foolish as to treat this overwhelming power lightly or become careless around it. We both love it and realize that it is far greater than we are.
We respect God in a similar way. We know He loves us and that we are His children. Yet when we realize His great power and remember that He created mountains, rides on the whirlwind, causes nations to rise and fall, and will someday judge the whole earth, we cannot help but tremble at His word and revere His commands. That change in our attitude will be immediately reflected in our reverence for God and His word – we will be drawn to God and will obey Him more diligently.
Habakkuk sees judgment coming and prays earnestly for revival. Renew [your deeds] in our day, he begs, in wrath remember mercy. The prophet is calling upon God to do for His people today what he had done in the past – to deliver them from enemies and to bless them. Although Habakkuk himself had not witnessed those miracles, he believed in the ability of God to save His people. His prayer is, ‘Do it again, God!’
That might be our prayer today. Let this present generation experience the power of God that was displayed in ages past. Let God revive His people, deliver them, bless them! Do it again, Lord!"
~From the Wesley Bible Curriculum – Minor Prophets – Dec-Feb 2008-09
Habakkuk 3:2
“Habakkuk enters God’s presence with a healthy fear of the Lord. The statement, I stand in awe of your deeds, shows his humility and worshipful attitude as he remembered the many amazing things God had done for His people. This attitude, sometimes called the fear of the Lord, is increasingly rare in today’s world, even among God’s people. The drift in Christianity over the past several decades has been to downplay God’s omnipotence and justice. We sometimes refer to God in casual terms like ‘the man upstairs’ or our ‘big Daddy’ and even take His name in vain.
A proper attitude toward God might be likened to the awe tinged with fear that we feel when visiting the ocean. We see that it is immense and powerful, and we enjoy watching the waves and even playing in the surf. Yet we are never so foolish as to treat this overwhelming power lightly or become careless around it. We both love it and realize that it is far greater than we are.
We respect God in a similar way. We know He loves us and that we are His children. Yet when we realize His great power and remember that He created mountains, rides on the whirlwind, causes nations to rise and fall, and will someday judge the whole earth, we cannot help but tremble at His word and revere His commands. That change in our attitude will be immediately reflected in our reverence for God and His word – we will be drawn to God and will obey Him more diligently.
Habakkuk sees judgment coming and prays earnestly for revival. Renew [your deeds] in our day, he begs, in wrath remember mercy. The prophet is calling upon God to do for His people today what he had done in the past – to deliver them from enemies and to bless them. Although Habakkuk himself had not witnessed those miracles, he believed in the ability of God to save His people. His prayer is, ‘Do it again, God!’
That might be our prayer today. Let this present generation experience the power of God that was displayed in ages past. Let God revive His people, deliver them, bless them! Do it again, Lord!"
~From the Wesley Bible Curriculum – Minor Prophets – Dec-Feb 2008-09
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