Message 5#

“The Book of Habakkuk… Often I wondered why it has to be Habakkuk, until when I looked at the fallen world I live in …” – Seymour Nightweaver

Father,

It has been three months already since You have took me back to church… Thanks to You, and to Sharon, my dear sister whom You brought me to in making this happen… I am indeed grateful for the new life You have given me, for the opportunity to be able to know that Christianity truly is, and to enjoy Your Grace, Love and Forgiveness…

A lot of things has changed throughout these few months, Father, and I know that You Yourself know better about this compared to me. Though I know that I am still not thoroughly clean, I praise You, Father, for You are still with me all this while, ever faithful, ever loving… And knowing that You have prepared a special purpose for me in this life, You have trained me and nurtured me with Your very own hands so that I could accomplish it as You wanted me to do, and to prepare myself for a life in this world.

Perhaps that’s why You want me to study the Book of Habakkuk in my first few sermons back then. You knew how fallen this world is… You knew that the first thing I needed would be guidance to face this harsh world outside as soon as I leave university… Indeed, there is no need to talk about the world, just by looking at this nation alone, it a denial by not saying it that it’s a total disappointment… Just look at the television programme that is showing right now. It’s so disappointing and depressing to see people nowadays being forced into marriage with a person they do not even know when they themselves are already in love with another person… And worse, these things happen for lowly and worldly reasons – riches, family name, dignity, influence and many other factors which are slowly corrupting and breaking down the society.

Father, I do not know why many people nowadays do not realize this, but the world is not in a mess. Often we hear leaders claiming that the nation is going towards a better future, when all this while the society which lives in here is slowly breaking apart into fractions of individualism and the politics is in a total havoc. What oxymoron! Is there any worse irony than to develop a nation by doing things that would tear it apart? We are all living in a world of paradoxes, of countless oxymoron, ironies and senseless insanity, Father, but thanks to You, for in You we could all still find joy, goodness and reason behind our existence. Living for You are the purpose of our lives, and there are no better purpose than that. And of course, knowing that You are the living God, the One who is good, and the One who knows what’s best for the world. There is no better security than to know that we Christians have You, Father, by our side…

I know, Father, I am aware of Your might, of Your powers and miracles You could bring unto this world. The Bible alone, Your Word, says it all. What else I need to proof Your Glory? But Father, please sustain me. You know how depressed I am with everything which is a part of this world now, how much sadness I have to bear knowing all this, for all this You already knew of their weight and size within my heart. I know, only You knows best regarding to this world. I know You are waiting for the perfect moment to bring the long awaited tide of change, the tsunami which would rock this whole world and make everyone tremble by its earthshaking power, but Father, have compassion for me, for my soul is weak. I can’t withstand all this as much as You do, Lord. I need Your sustainment and strength to live in this defiled land… You are the only hope left, O’ Father. I need You. We all need You! All of us are suffocating in this world, Father. Long have we waited for Your miracles to be done on this nation, Father, and until now, we are still hopefully waiting for You.

Perhaps You have already set Your plans into motion, as I hear the hopeful whispers echoing softly deep inside my heart. But till the time when You readily reveal Your miracles, all of us will be waiting, waiting patiently for Your work to be done with faith and hope. I know, what You might bring for the nation may not be what we are expecting from You, but nevertheless, as we all learn from the Book of Habakkuk, we will accept it, for You are good, and whatever that You will bring for us is good. Please, O’ Father, may Your strength sustains all of us, may Your love pull us forward as we live lives worthy of Your Name…

Father,

I pray to You O’ Father, may Your love be on all of us always. May Your strength be on us as we face our everyday lives, and may Your Spirit be with us in times of hardship, so we may persevere in wait of Your waves of reform. May You be a shelter for the weak, a place of refuge for the desolate, and a beacon of hope for the oppressed. Father, may Your will be done on the nation as it is committed into Your mighty hand. Thank You, Father, and may Your presence be on us always. In Jesus’ almighty and precious name I pray. Amen.

Seymour Nightweaver (12th November 2008)