O LORD, REVIVE THY WORK

 
EVENING DEVOTION

OCTOBER 13

Habakkuk 3:2

 

O LORD, revive thy work…

 
 
No one can revive the Lord’s work but himself.
 
He began it.
 
He must carry it on.
 
He will complete it.
 
But he does so by means; and one of the means he employs is prayer.
 
He convinces us that we need a revival. He stirs us up to seek it.
 
He makes us sensible of our insufficiency.
 
He may perhaps keep us waiting at his throne for a time.
 
The delay may cause us pain, and perplexity.
 
If sanctified, it will make us more earnest for the blessing; and there we shall cry out with one of old, “Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee.”
 
When the Lord revives his work, he strengthens our faith, invigorates our hope, inflames our love, deepens our humility, animates our zeal, and sites us up to seek the promotion of his cause.
 
Then prayer becomes pleasant, praise sweet, ordinances profitable, the sabbath a delight, and the sanctuary amiable.
 
The church resembles a lovely garden, in which we walk with peculiar satisfaction; the gospel is a feast, most suitable and costly; and we look forward to heaven as to our country and our hope.
 
The Lord revive his work in us by his Spirit, by his providence, and, by his holy ordinances.
 
His power is unlimited.
 

Oh! for his all-reviving grace,

The quickening power divine,

The deadness from my soul to chase;

That I may rise and shine.

 
James Smith