Good morning! 🙂
I will admit to you that I had a terrible time finding Habakkuk. I spelled it three different ways before I got to the correct vowel and k placement. Mercy! I started grumbling and then, I saw the chapter! I read it aloud to my husband and we were both amazed. I am betting you haven’t spent a whole lot of time in Habakkuk. And if you would be interested, our church did a series on Habakkuk that was very good. When you click on the link, make sure to scroll to the bottom to start with the first message. http://media.willowcreek.org/weekend/finding-courage/
I find it almost humorous that 1) I woke up with a headache this morning, 2) I grumbled about not finding our verses 3) I then realized what holy ground I was on in this chapter and my brain switched on! The Lord with His Word transformed my heart from a “blah” to an “ahhh!” I pray you will allow Him to do the same for you. This is a stunning!
I am going to give you the link for the chapter in the Amplified version.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Habakkuk%203&version=AMP
Now, please, don’t rob yourself of the power of this chance to be in this little book. As in Psalms, Habakkuk (Ha! spelled it right..) uses the beautiful word, selah. Love this word. “Pause and calmly think of that.” How often do we pause and calmly think on the Lord’s strength, power and joy and it lead us to praise and worship of our Most High God? Pause and calmly think of THAT!
Yet the verses of our prayer focus today are Habukkuk 3 at the very end and I, of course, am going to give you the verses around it. For that matter, when you look at the word of God, always be looking around as well. Use these websites to help your study and understand context. It’s everything. 🙂
Here is..drum roll please..Joy! Habbukuk 3:
17Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,
18Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
19The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! For the Chief Musician; with my stringed instruments.
So, no matter H’s 😉 circumstances, he wasn’t willing to let go of the gift of praise. The gift of lifting up the name of the Lord in praise and how that will move us from a position of “..not to stand still in terror, but to walk..” ! He will help us make progress…ok, I need to give you some word definitions here.
Exult (alaz)- a sound of joy, to rejoice (not leaping or dancing) http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H5937&t=NASB
LORD – Jehovah = “the existing One”, the proper name of the one true God, unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of 0136. http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H3068&t=NASB
I want to add something my Dad sent me about this name that I think you will find helpful as well. “The ancient Hebrews knew the name of God. It was too holy to be spoken aloud, except for once a year. On the day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and after scattering the blood, he would speak the Lord’s true name. ”
Rejoice (giyl)– to go in a circle, to dance, leap for joy. http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1523&t=NASB
So, H starts with song in the beginning of the verse but then, he is going to dance for the victorious God of his salvation (deliverance!). You know what’s coming next!
David Crowder Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaIz4-FJ-9U
Now, did you notice H used another name here? Interesting…I love watching the transition to this name! 🙂 He is also creator God!
God (‘elohiym)– works or special possessions of God, the (true) God http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H430&t=NASB
Salvation (yesha`): deliverance, salvation, rescue, safety, welfare http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H3468&t=NASB
So I encourage you to pray for joy to fill your heart, your spouse’s, your family! Our God is able, He is good! A couple more videos to praise Him..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6suBrSFaiM
And then a song that keeps coming back to me…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrRbPU8YRxs&ob=av2e
Here is a link for “Kingdom verses” that surround H.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/study/tsk/tsk.cfm?b=Hab&c=3&v=18&t=NASB Look them up! Write some down on notecards and commit them to memory. Psalm 46..
Pray on, be filled with His love today. Rejoice!
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