Devotions this week based on The Prophets Week 7 – Habakkuk (WATCH HERE)
“Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day.” — Habakkuk 3:2
Habakkuk ends not with despair, but with a song. In the midst of uncertainty, the prophet turns to prayerful worship. He receives the Lord’s answer to his questions and recalls the mighty acts of God. As the Lord had acted faithfully in the past, so he would now. He had led Israel through the Red Sea, conquered nations, and saved His people. The more he recalls the faithfulness of the Lord, the more his faith grows.
In verses 3–15, Habakkuk paints a poetic picture of God marching across history like a divine warrior. “His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth” (3:3). The imagery recalls Exodus 15, where Moses sang after the Red Sea: “The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name.” Habakkuk knows that the God who delivered Israel before will not abandon His people now.
Verse 2 is a prayer for mercy: “In wrath, remember mercy.” Habakkuk acknowledges that judgment is coming, but pleads for God’s compassion in the midst of it. The Lord had shown a pattern of mercy in the midst of his justice. Habakkuk never saw it, but the same tension he felt was resolved perfectly in Christ: at the cross, God’s wrath and mercy met. Justice is satisfied; grace is poured out.
Remembering God’s past faithfulness strengthens faith in present trials. Habakkuk gives all of God’s people a faithful reminder. When we are in a moment that it is hard to see how God is acting or will act, remember the power of God he had shown before. It doesn’t have to be just a personal experience (although you may have those too), but rather we have all the examples in Scripture of God’s power and faithfulness. Like the psalmist in Psalm 77:11–14 reflects, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord… You are the God who performs miracles.”
When fear rises, look backward before you look forward. Rehearse what God has already done in Scripture, in history, in your life. Parents can teach children family testimonies of answered prayer. Couples can recall how God carried them through storms. The retired can share stories of God’s providence that younger generations need to hear.
Remembering the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord is not an escape from reality; rather, it’s an anchor in it. As you sing, pray, and remember, you are proclaiming that the God who was faithful yesterday is still faithful today.
Apply: What changes in the situation(s) with which you are dealing if you remember the deeds of the Lord and how he has shown up with power and presence in your life?
Prayer: Lord, we have heard of Your fame and stand in awe of Your deeds. Do it again in our day! In wrath remember mercy. Stir our hearts to remember Your faithfulness and to trust You for the future. You have been our refuge in generations past. Be our strength again today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.