"O Lord, revive thy work...” Habakkuk 3:2The scripture above, and the song below, have been on my mind periodically throughout this day. So often our hearts grow cold, our affection for things above is blotted by our lust of things beneath. How I pray for a revival of my heart, a revival of my zeal, a revival of my diligence to more faithfully serve my Lord.
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Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Thy mighty arm make bare;
Speak with the voice that wakes the dead,
And make Thy people hear.
Today, I was driving home from the grocery store and listening to the news on the radio. The story was of yet more crime, more wickedness, more hatred that is prevalent in our world today. I couldn't tell you the details of the story, I am so used to hearing them that often I don't remember what I last heard. It reminds me of Noah's day, when it is recorded, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (Genesis 6:5-6). God's response was, "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:13).
Thy mighty arm make bare;
Speak with the voice that wakes the dead,
And make Thy people hear.
Today, I was driving home from the grocery store and listening to the news on the radio. The story was of yet more crime, more wickedness, more hatred that is prevalent in our world today. I couldn't tell you the details of the story, I am so used to hearing them that often I don't remember what I last heard. It reminds me of Noah's day, when it is recorded, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart" (Genesis 6:5-6). God's response was, "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:13).
How wonderful when the Lord "speaks with the voice that wakes" a dead alien sinner, and that one who before loved to fill himself with ungodliness, now hates those things he loved.
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Disturb this sleep of death;
Quicken the smold’ring embers now
By Thine almighty breath.
Yet, while I look at those wicked around, I often forget how I too, need a daily renewal within. The Apostle Paul said that "though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16). How refreshing it is to have the inward man renewed each day by the power of God.
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Create soul-thirst for Thee;
And hungering for the Bread of Life
O may our spirits be.
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God" (Psalm 42:1). For any to thirst, or hunger for the Lord, they first must have experienced His grace. I never hungered for any certain dish until I first tasted it. Yet, after I've tasted some mouth watering meal, I find myself craving for it again and again.
We have experienced the Lord's goodness, His presence, His power. And as a deer longs for the cool water to relieve his tongue, our hearts now pants, or cries out and longs for the experience of God that we've once felt. However, there are times that I've departed from the Lord out of indifference, yet didn't realize that I was without the Lord. Then, ever so faithful, the Lord revives my desire to thirst and hunger after Him again, so I return to His throne seeking His presence!
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Exalt Thy precious Name;
And, by the Holy Ghost, our love
For Thee and Thine inflame.
I suppose there is no greater motivation for the Lord's people to have their love of God, and their brethren increased, than to see the exaltation of the Lord's name. I think of the occasion that Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, when He was viewed high and lifted up, the seraphim's cried, Holy, holy, holy... The only response Isaiah could muster was "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Yet, by the end of this experience Isaiah was pleading to speak in the cause of God and was used of God as one of the most influential prophets the earth has ever seen. This all began because the precious name of God was exalted, Isaiah's love for God was then inflamed.
What an experience, to see the thrice holy God high and lifted up - to know how undone we are, yet, with the Lord's help are able to do that which He bids us do.
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Give Pentecostal showers;
The glory shall be all Thine own,
The blessing, Lord, be ours.
When the apostles, ministry and disciples that made up the church at Jerusalem experienced the "showers of Pentecost," their only response was praise to God. There was no claiming of credit by the apostles for the visions, or the ability to speak in the various tongues. However, they were recipients of the blessing of the power of God, and the witness of 3,000 souls being added that day to the church of God. How often do we pray for such a revival in the kingdom of God today?
Perhaps we have prayed for it, but our motivation was to see our church increase, instead of the glory of God being fulfilled. The whole desire any should have when pleading for revival, should be the exaltation of the name of God in another child of God's life, and the glory of God being further witnessed by the church. It isn't wrong to seek that blessing, but blessing and glory are two different things. All too often I hear ministers and churches glory in their new converts instead of the Lord. I know they are excited, yet, I often fail to hear thanks ascending to God. May we remember, when revival comes, to place the glory and thanksgiving at the feet of our God, and be humbled by the blessing of His reviving Spirit in our lives, and in His kingdom.
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Disturb this sleep of death;
Quicken the smold’ring embers now
By Thine almighty breath.
Yet, while I look at those wicked around, I often forget how I too, need a daily renewal within. The Apostle Paul said that "though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16). How refreshing it is to have the inward man renewed each day by the power of God.
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Create soul-thirst for Thee;
And hungering for the Bread of Life
O may our spirits be.
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God" (Psalm 42:1). For any to thirst, or hunger for the Lord, they first must have experienced His grace. I never hungered for any certain dish until I first tasted it. Yet, after I've tasted some mouth watering meal, I find myself craving for it again and again.
We have experienced the Lord's goodness, His presence, His power. And as a deer longs for the cool water to relieve his tongue, our hearts now pants, or cries out and longs for the experience of God that we've once felt. However, there are times that I've departed from the Lord out of indifference, yet didn't realize that I was without the Lord. Then, ever so faithful, the Lord revives my desire to thirst and hunger after Him again, so I return to His throne seeking His presence!
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Exalt Thy precious Name;
And, by the Holy Ghost, our love
For Thee and Thine inflame.
I suppose there is no greater motivation for the Lord's people to have their love of God, and their brethren increased, than to see the exaltation of the Lord's name. I think of the occasion that Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, when He was viewed high and lifted up, the seraphim's cried, Holy, holy, holy... The only response Isaiah could muster was "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Yet, by the end of this experience Isaiah was pleading to speak in the cause of God and was used of God as one of the most influential prophets the earth has ever seen. This all began because the precious name of God was exalted, Isaiah's love for God was then inflamed.
What an experience, to see the thrice holy God high and lifted up - to know how undone we are, yet, with the Lord's help are able to do that which He bids us do.
Revive Thy work, O Lord,
Give Pentecostal showers;
The glory shall be all Thine own,
The blessing, Lord, be ours.
When the apostles, ministry and disciples that made up the church at Jerusalem experienced the "showers of Pentecost," their only response was praise to God. There was no claiming of credit by the apostles for the visions, or the ability to speak in the various tongues. However, they were recipients of the blessing of the power of God, and the witness of 3,000 souls being added that day to the church of God. How often do we pray for such a revival in the kingdom of God today?
Perhaps we have prayed for it, but our motivation was to see our church increase, instead of the glory of God being fulfilled. The whole desire any should have when pleading for revival, should be the exaltation of the name of God in another child of God's life, and the glory of God being further witnessed by the church. It isn't wrong to seek that blessing, but blessing and glory are two different things. All too often I hear ministers and churches glory in their new converts instead of the Lord. I know they are excited, yet, I often fail to hear thanks ascending to God. May we remember, when revival comes, to place the glory and thanksgiving at the feet of our God, and be humbled by the blessing of His reviving Spirit in our lives, and in His kingdom.
4 comments:
I enjoyed this one a lot. Just this morning I was spending some time praying and meditating on the Word, thinking about my need to be renewed daily. It seems I so often go through these phases where I lack zeal and the diligence necessary to faithfully serve the Lord as I ought. It is also during these times when I usually don't pray for that revival and renewing, but this is when I need it most.
Thank you for sharing this hymn and your thoughts.
Lyd - I am thankful you enjoyed the song and comments, and more that they were relative to your own meditations!
Hope you have a wonderful week!
C
This goes right along with the sermon I heard tonight at our meeting. I like the way that you broke down the song with verses and your thoughts.
Dani - I am glad you enjoyed it, I'll try to do that more often!
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