Revival And The Easter Season

We have not discussed the revival in Asbury and I think that was a miss on our part. Revival is something that no one should take lightly. The God of Heaven stirred the people and swept huge numbers into his flock. Even more were pulled from walking the fence and their lukewarm faith. When revival hits what is our response?

I will confess to you that my first response was a jaded suspicion. I have been hurt by to many expressions of faith that turned out to be lies. I have let myself become calloused to the Spirit of God and the ability to discern Him and His work. I was watching from a distance, seeing it on social media. I didn’t believe it because I only saw it on Instagram, which is a lie.

Then there was another movement in Illinois and another in California. God was moving. Where was I?

I was asleep.

I was sitting in my room looking at myself thinking about how I can do more and be more. While God was outside working, I was inside napping spiritually.

God, in His mercy and grace, took pity on me. He would have been justified in dumping a bucket of ice water on me, but instead he was gentle and loving, bringing from where I was to where I needed to be.

He brought me to the Songs of Solomon. Chapter one I saw a longing love. In chapter two, I saw an adoration of the beloved. In chapter three, I saw a bride seeking in panic for her beloved who could not stay at home, who was compelled to run through the streets until she found him. At that point, I have the audacity, the pride to ask God to move to a different book because I wasn’t really feeling Songs of Solomon. He lead me to the book of Joel. I read of the plague of locusts and then I got to verse 5. It reads, “Awake, you drunkards, and weep…”

I finished the chapter but could not let go of one single word, “awake.” Like Peter, James and John falling asleep while Christ is sweating blood. I need to wake up, God is moving. I need to wake up and pray. Am I going to sleep while God moves? I feel so inconsistent in that I say that I love my Lord, but can’t even find the time, the effort to pray for his Church, for the lost, and for emblazoned.

How many of us missed this movement? How many of us felt the shake of God and rolled over, asking for a few more minutes?

We are officially in the Lenten season. The time where we reflect on Christs journey through the desert that lead to the cross, death, and resurrection. I missed everything. I did not prepare for Lent at all. I was asleep. And now, all I can hear is, “Awake!”

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In addition to my thoughts, I wanted to share with you a piece that I have listened to for a long time. I hope it helps wake us up. Christ is calling us out of our slumber, out of our grave.