Habakkuk 3:17-18
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.(NIV)
In Habakkuk’s time, things were going down the hill. The fields were not producing crops, the animal stalls were empty, yet he made a choice of not basing his joy with the happenings of the present, but to be joyful in the God his saviour.
We are in a time when our everyday life comforts are being stripped away. Music seems to be fading away even as restrictions of worship gatherings prevail. There are no grapes in the vines or cattle in the stalls thus economic hardship staring at us. Let us come back to the heart of worship where it is all about Jesus.
Our normal Sunday services have been interrupted. The mode of worship with the warmth of brethren is no longer the same. The atmosphere of music with the choir and the band leading has taken a different dimension to that of a virtual service. Without connectivity you miss the online service. Yet with all these dynamics our Heavenly Father yearns for our worship.
The story behind the famous song, “Coming back to the heart of worship” by Michael .W. Smith was composed by Matt Redman in the late 1990s when his pastor observed that in the church, there was a dynamic missing. He decided to get rid of the sound system and band for a season, and they gathered in church together with just their voices. The pastor’s point was that the church had lost its way in worship and was only dependent on the sound systems. The way to get back to the heart would be to strip everything away.”-(Crosswalk website)
This was a gesture of reminding his church family to be producers in worship, not just consumers. Initially, the worship time felt odd, but eventually people broke into acappella songs and heartfelt prayers, encountering God in a fresh way.
With the prevailing circumstances don’t cut off your worship. Let it emanate from deep down your heart.
Let us offer a sacrifice of praise unto the Lord, and be joyful to the Rock of our salvation.We will encounter the Lord in a refreshing way and He will come through for us and bring to a time of refreshing.
Further reading:
Isa 61:11
Joh 4:23
Phil 4:4
🙏🏼Blessed Sunday🙏🏼