Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - "Encounter God In Silence" Scripture: Habakkuk 2:2 Then Adonai answered me; he said,
“Write down the vision clearly on tablets,
so that even a runner can read it.
3 For the vision is meant for its appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and it does not lie.
It may take a while, but wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
18 What good is an idol, once its maker has shaped it,
a cast metal image and a teacher of lies,
that its maker puts his trust in it,
and goes on making non-gods, unable to talk?
19 Woe to him who tells a piece of wood, “Wake up!”
or a speechless stone, “Rouse yourself!”
Can this thing teach? Why, it’s covered with gold and silver,
without the slightest breath in it!
20 But Adonai is in his holy temple;
let all the earth be silent before him.
"Encounter God In Silence" by Author: Kimberly Davidson
We live in a violent world—violence against unborn babies, women, and children; violence by those in authority against the weak, violence that goes unpunished. Someone said violence is rampant today because it’s what people want.
The prophet Habakkuk lived at a time when society was shaken by violence. Israel had sunk deeper into disobedience towards God and was falling apart. Habakkuk burned with zeal for God and pain for his people. Moved and grieved by the offensiveness to a holy God, he poured his heart out to God in prayer.
We don’t like what we see as we look around today. We certainly don’t know our future. But as we enter into the prophet’s experience, we can be encouraged to keep pressing onward and upwards. Like Habakkuk, we must reach a place where we can be silent before a holy God. Habakkuk is describing the total inadequacy of words when faced with the holiness of God. God invites us in silence to experience His glory.
Hymn for today: "Over My Head" African American Spiritual
Refrain:
Over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
there must be a God somewhere.
1. Leader: Oh, when the world is silent,
People: Hmm, I hear music in the air;
Leader: oh, when the world is silent,
People: hmm, I hear music in the air;
Leader: Oh, when the world is silent,
People: hmm, I hear music in the air;
All: there must be a God somewhere.
Refrain:
Over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
there must be a God somewhere.
2. Leader: And when I'm feeling lonely,
People: Hmm, I hear music in the air;
Leader: and when I'm feeling lonely,
People: hmm, I hear music in the air;
Leader: and when I'm feeling lonely,
People: hmm, I hear music in the air;
All: there must be a God somewhere.
Refrain:
Over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
there must be a God somewhere.
3. Leader: Now when I think on Jesus,
People: Hmm, I hear music in the air;
Leader: now when I think on Jesus,
People: hmm, I hear music in the air;
Leader: now when I think on Jesus,
People: hmm, I hear music in the air;
All: there must be a God somewhere.
Refrain:
Over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
over my head, I hear music in the air;
there must be a God somewhere.
"Political World" by Bob Dylan
We live in a political world
Love don’t have any place
We’re living in times where men commit crimes
And crime don’t have a face
We live in a political world
Icicles hanging down
Wedding bells ring and angels sing
Clouds cover up the ground
We live in a political world
Wisdom is thrown into jail
It rots in a cell, is misguided as hell
Leaving no one to pick up a trail
We live in a political world
Where mercy walks the plank
Life is in mirrors, death disappears
Up the steps into the nearest bank
We live in a political world
Where courage is a thing of the past
Houses are haunted, children are unwanted
The next day could be your last
We live in a political world
The one we can see and can feel
But there’s no one to check, it’s all a stacked deck
We all know for sure that it’s real
We live in a political world
In the cities of lonesome fear
Little by little you turn in the middle
But you’re never sure why you’re here
We live in a political world
Under the microscope
You can travel anywhere and hang yourself there
You always got more than enough rope
We live in a political world
Turning and a-thrashing about
As soon as you’re awake, you’re trained to take
What looks like the easy way out
We live in a political world
Where peace is not welcome at all
It’s turned away from the door to wander some more
Or put up against the wall
We live in a political world
Everything is hers or his
Climb into the frame and shout God’s name
But you’re never sure what it is
____________________________
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