Revive Us Again

Revive Us Again

“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You.”

                                                      Psalms 85:6

Do you stand in need of revival?  I know we often think of it as an event taking place under a huge tent with a grassy/straw covered floor or late night in a church lasting well into the wee hours of the morning complete with a special guest speaker.  I remember attending many late-night revivals as a youth.  Being a teenager, I sort of dreaded the idea but I must say I pretty much enjoyed them once we got there.   I honestly didn’t understand then why they called it a revival.  I didn’t understand that I was there to be revived.  I don’t think I realized that I needed it.  God’s people need it still.  The word revival, by mere definition, makes me think of the resurrection of dead things…important things that have died due to the impact of life’s situations and circumstances, and of times of refreshing and restoration which ignites a spark  of new life in us. 

The word revival has several meanings. One of them is “an improvement in the condition or strength of something.”  I think this definition speaks exactly to what our hearts are truly longing for.  At times of revival we want our passion for the things of God to be improved, strengthened, and reignited to propel us forward into life’s next season of purpose and destiny. 

Another definition of revival is “an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again.”  This definition actually saddens me a little.  How do we let our fervor diminish for the things of God…the things that make Him happy and the things that break His heart?  It saddens me further that we can become lackadaisical at our commitment towards His purposes.  God is so faithful to us even when we have become faithless…one of the many reasons I love Him so.

Many times we eagerly anticipate coming together for revival.  We wait to come together to pray for revival…for revival to fall down on us from above.  In our ignorance we think it can’t take place until we have first come together.  That’s where we get it wrong.  Revival corporately can only take place after there has been a time of personal revival that has taken place in our hearts individually. 

So, let’s begin to prepare our hearts and minds, during our personal quiet times with the Lord, for the corporate ushering in of a spiritual refreshing and renewal when we come together as a church body.

Be blessed!