Revival.
The word inspires images of tent meetings and manipulative preachers for some. For others, it’s an image of God’s people waking up and coming fully alive while drawing others into the kingdom of God. To avoid the first image and get to the second, revival can’t be programs. It has to take place in individual hearts.
And that requires seeing ourselves as dead. For the word revival at its root means to make alive again. It’s about resurrection. And you’ve got to be dead before you’re resurrected. The problem is that far too many of us are walking dead, zombies with just enough life to get by without coming fully alive. Let me explain with a story.
When I was 22, I rented a room in a daylight basement from an elderly couple whose kids no longer lived in that space. There were four large bedrooms down there and two other single guys also rented rooms. There was a fridge in a common area but no kitchen. And we were strictly forbidden from using anything to cook in our rooms.
Well, one of the guys bent that rule. He had a hotplate and a microwave. But on top of those, he had a portable heater, a computer, a stereo, and a few other devices. I only know this because he blew a fuse from excessive electricity use in his room. I remember when it popped, both he and I looked out from our rooms across the hall from each other and I could see through his doorway a tangle of extension cords snaking across his floor.
Now, of the three of occupied rooms in the basement, only mine was completely served by the blown fuse. The third renter was completely served by another fuse. And the guy who blew it was only half on the blown fuse. He was able to continue on in partial light and never made a move to tell the landlords.
I, however, was left sitting in the dark. I tried to make due for a day, waiting for the fuse-blower to fess up. But because he didn’t and because the third renter was unaffected, it fell to me to do something about the problem. I did and it was quickly and easily solved.
Of the three of us in the basement, two of us were in need of revival. But it was only the one who was in the dark and couldn’t go on like that who did anything about it. The half-light, half-life guy did nothing. This is the first condition necessary for revival: An understanding of personal need.
The “D” section of Psalm 119 is a good starting point in a quest for revival. We’ll use my rendering from Everyday Psalms as we walk through the eight-verse stanza.
Dead.
My soul is dead.
Or at least close to it.
Resurrect me
By speaking your Word to me.
God breathed his own life into us. We were made for life, not death. But death creeps into us. What parts of your life feel dead? Take a personal survey and ask God to bring resurrection, offering each limp part of your life to him.
Dirty laundry and clean,
I laid it all out before you,
And you didn’t turn your nose up.
Teach me to live your wise way.
Coming clean is essential to getting clean. What are the sins that have been holding you back? What would wise living look like instead of sin? Ask God to teach you his wise ways in each of these trouble areas.
Direct me down the road
Carefully marked by your precepts,
And I’ll mull over
All the wonderful things you’ve done
As I walk it.
God’s way of life is a clearly marked road. What Scriptures come to mind as you pray? How are they signposts, pointing the way to live God’s good life? Listen for God to speak his Word to you.
Dreary and depressed,
My soul is shriveling up.
Speak your Word to me
And keep me going.
Revival is painful, unearthing what is dead and buried. Depression isn’t surprising when we consider the states of our souls. So hear God’s encouraging Word as he speaks life into you. Persevere by the strength God gives you.
Drain me of deceit.
Fill me with your law
Till I learn the grace-shaped life.
Self-deception is pandemic. We have false, glittering images of ourselves that we present to the world around us. The problem is we too often fall for our own facades. We are expert and lying to ourselves. Ask God to replace your fake self with the true image-of-God self he created you to be.
Deciding my life’s direction,
I’ve chosen the way of faithfulness.
So, I’ve set your decisions in front of me
As guidance.
Faithfulness is “a long obedience in the same direction.” It’s sticking with God instead of our own designs for our lives. Submit the direction of your life to God and ask him to lead you wherever he desires.
Digging deep into your moral guidelines, Yahweh,
Keeps me from shaming myself.
We pick up a lot of dirt along the way in this life. Come out of hiding with God and let him defuse the shame you’ve built up. Offer whatever shame you have to him. You don’t need to deal with, because he’ll deal with it all.
Down the path
Paved by your commands,
I run —
Life lived at full force.
The way is wide and smooth
Because of the understanding you’ve given me.
Having replaced lies with truth, shame with grace, death with life, self-desires with God-desires, and sin with wisdom, you’ve got God’s wide road ahead of you, smooth and straight. So, run! This is life as God intended you to live it. What’s ahead of you is all God and all good. Let your joy well up in praise to our Lord who only wants what’s best for us and for the world he loves. Let it spill over into prayers for others to experience this same revival that you’re experiencing.