Revival

Just about everyone I know is harried and pressed for time. Anxious and rushing from one demand to another. Never reaching the bottom of their ‘to-do’ list.

Tired. Thirsty. Dragging our feet. Needing revival.

Yet, I read something yesterday from someone I know, written a few years back, voicing a concern that the term revival is negative because it implies someone or something (eg the church) is near death.  

Well, I look around and that’s exactly what I see. People and institutions dragging their feet through each day, each task, anxious and harried. If not near death, certainly near fainting. 

Revival conjures pictures of people falling under the power of God, being overwhelmed by his love and goodness, perhaps doing odd things or suddenly prophesying. God is unpredictable and his times of refreshing may not look like our times of refreshing. Where we might envision a spa day or a beach holiday, he might envision a simple coming of his Holy Spirit upon the life or lives of human beings. Satisfying longings we don’t even know we have. 

Revival brings refreshing that is lasting, the water of life that springs up unto eternal life and never runs out. A spa day or a collapse on the beach might relax the mind and body for a day or two, but rarely carries on through the busy life as tasks are resumed. 

God’s peace, his strength, his love, carry on through all that comes our way in this world. Jesus said that we would have trouble and problems in this world, and he was right. But he went on to encourage us by declaring that we should take heart because he has overcome the world.

How? Not just in his resurrection and our going to be with him forever on our death, but in our daily walk. In whatever comes our way today. He has overcome. If we remain in him, he certainly remains in us, reviving our spirits, minds and bodies as we trust in him.

Needs moment-by-moment commitment to remain in him until we are habituated to live and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. Refreshed. Restored. Revived.