17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3: 17, 18 (KJV)
Rarely am I late for work, but I found myself running behind schedule this morning. Just as I pulled into the parking garage, a song came on the radio that reduced me to tears. I put the car in park and lifted my hands in praise. The soloist Beatrice Gardner ( Rev. Milton Brunson & The Thompson Community Singers) began to sing,
“Because the Lord is my Shepherd,
I have everything I need
He lets me rest in the meadow’s grass
And leads me beside the quiet stream
H restores my failing health
And helps me to do what honors Him the most
That’s why I’m safe … in His arms…”
By this time, tears were streaming down my cheeks and I could not control the praises escaping my lips. Years of protection and love, safety and support, blessings seen and unseen, answered prayers and unanswered prayers washed over me like a flood and I found myself consumed with gratitude, peace and love. In that moment, I wasn’t rushing to work or thinking about the mountains of responsibilities and duties. In that moment I lost all sense of time and space. In that moment I had unspeakable joy.
I think that’s what Habakkuk was talking about in this passage. In the midst of it all, take a praise break.