On Sunday, we heard from the prophet Habakkuk, sitting inside the walls of Jerusalem…shaking in his boots for fear, embarrassed that God’s chosen people, once a treasure among the nations, had fallen from grace and favor and was about to be destroyed.
The structure of Habakkuk’s scroll is really a masterpiece in Hebrew poetry. Chapter 1 starts out with Habakkuk’s laments and complaints to which God responds in wrath.
Chapter 3 is a psalm and hymn to God’s greatness and action that renews Habakkuk’s faith in God. Habakkuk 2:4 has a famous and familiar passage, especially to Lutherans: “The righteous shall live by faith.”
The beginning is death and destruction; the end is resurrection and restoration; the bridge between the two is faith, that outrageous trust and confidence in God. Faith is so bold as to let God have it when things aren’t going right. Faith is so sure that it trusts God when you’re on the cusp of destruction and death. Faith is strong because it is not something we muster but is a gift of God on account of Christ; Faith is so strong that it will renew, restore, and resurrect!
With you, living by faith in the Son of God,
Pastor Culynn
P.S. Please check out the August newsletter which is attached below. We are gearing up for an exciting week of VBS and another engaging fall ministry!
To prepare for worship on Sunday
(July 31), you are invited to read:
Obadiah vv. 1-21