IN WRATH REMEMBER MERCY By lakan Mariano 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 A pastor of a mega church was describing the days before he resigned from his position. He talked about sitting in his office on Monday mornings with glowing reports informing him of record Sunday school and worship attendance and record giving. He was the envy of his peers but he was miserable. He said he felt like the entertainer spinning plates on the tip of sticks and he kept running back and forth trying to keep the plates spinning. He said he also felt like he had to come up with new tricks to keep the people coming and entertained. Which begs the question: I wonder how many people will show up to an event where the only attraction is God? It is easy to put on a religious charade. Israel was good at it. When you come before me, whoever gave you the idea of acting like this, running here and there, doing this and that—all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship? Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way (Isaiah 1:12-15, MSG). We slip into religious charade when we cease to be impressed with God, when the gospel, the Good News that Jesus Christs finished work on the cross that has provided salvation for sinful man, for us, no longer makes us want to shout for joy. In the midst of moral decay and empty religion, the prophet Habakkuk prayed, 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. Lord, would you let us see You and look to You again? Would you remind us afresh of the majesty and beauty and righteousness and mercy and grace of what You did at the cross? Would You give us hearts that sing to You instead of to us? Would you give us a perspective that glories in You instead of our circumstances? Would You break our hearts over our sins? Would You set aflame our cold hearts? In wrath would You remember, according to Your covenant, Your mercy? Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18-19).
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 11:15:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015