Irvin Wasswa- Tylertown Campus Pastor LHBC
Habakkuk 3:17-19
17 Though 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,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.
Mark Hall, the leader of the Christian music group Casting Crowns shared the story behind one of their hit songs, “Praise You in this Storm.” Hall shares about how the song was derived from the story of a young girl that his group had the chance to meet, who had died from cancer. The mother’s incredible faith in the midst of the tragedy was awe-inspiring for Hall and the band. They saw that this woman’s faith in the Lord and her heart for worshipping Him was not circumstantial, but rather constant in every season of life. Though she was going through this terrible season of life, her faith in the Lord did not waver. Though she went through this terrible storm of life, she chose to praise!
I imagine while the mother was walking through this terrible time that she had questions about why it was her daughter who ended up getting cancer. I imagine during the time there were many tears that were shed, however due to her faith in the Lord, she chose to praise. WOW! What a testimony! We see a similar testimony in the life of the prophet Habakkuk! At the time his people were in a complete mess. Life was going terrible for them. Their enemies are seeking to destroy them. Their crops were destroyed, meaning they were unsure how they were even going to be able to provide food to eat in the coming days. Their life was a mess; but in the midst of the mess, Habakkuk chose to praise the Lord.
What an example for us as the church today. Listen, it is so easy to make worshipping the Lord circumstantial and based upon how you feel. If life is great, we worship God, but when life is tough, we throw in the towel and ignore him. Here’s the reality though: GOD IS THE SAME IN EVERY SEASON OF LIFE. Hey, He is worthy to be praised in the Sunshine and in the storm because he does not change. Habakkuk understood this reality and chose to rejoice in the Lord in spite of circumstance. Listen, our circumstances, no matter how dire they are, do not have to dictate how we worship the Lord. May we choose to take joy in the Lord and cling to Him even more so in the midst of it all.
Aren’t you glad we serve and worship a God that never changes? I know I am. Are you allowing for the circumstances of your life to dictate your worship of the Lord? In the midst of your storm cling to the truth of who He is, set your eyes on Him, and choose to worship Him in this season of life. He loves you. He sees you, and ultimately He is worthy of all our worship. So this morning whatever season of life you are in, choose to rejoice in Him.
PRAYER FOR TODAY: Dear Lord, help me to always remember that you are God and you are good in every season of life. Help for me never to lose that understanding. Allow for the truth of this to lead me to worship you in every season of life. Amen
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.