“LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2)

After Habakkuk’s discussion with God concerning the injustice in the world, he would offer to God a prayer of faith. Habakkuk, as a prophet, knew the history of God and His people. He knew the people’s failures and he knew God’s responses of both judgment and redemption. Thus, his prayer would begin with this knowledge of God, “I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds.” (Habakkuk 3:2a) God’s fame comes because He does respond to the prayers of His people. Examples in their history starts as Abraham prays for the people of Sodom. God was going to bring judgment upon the people because of their sin. Abraham asked God not to destroy the city if 10 righteous people could be found to which God agreed. Sodom was destroyed because 10 righteous people could not be found.

Then there was Moses’ prayer for the people of Israel, who had sinned with the worship of the Golden Calf because God was going to destroy the people and start again with Moses. Moses prayed, “Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” (Exodus 32:12-13) While judgment did come to the people, God continued to lead them toward the Promised Land.”

Then there was the personal prayer of David after his sin with Bathsheba when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. . .. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:4, 10-12)

Habakkuk’s prayer would echo the prayers of the past with a new call to God to repeat His actions of both judgment and mercy. “Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2b) Habakkuk’s faith had a strong trust in both justice and mercy.

As we walk today with the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ, we also see the injustices of mankind and the need for a new movement of God. We know because God is just that He will bring judgment upon the world. Yet, we also know that because of His mercy, He will bring hope, forgiveness, and new life. With this knowledge of God’s activity in the past, we should be motivated to join with other believers and pray. This burden upon our hearts should cause us to seek a fresh movement of God today. Yet, we should be like Habakkuk and let it begin with me.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block