Awaiting and Expecting Revival.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit" (John 12:24).

Many New England believers are spiritually hungry and clamoring for revival, deeply aware that the Church in this region finds itself in a state of ineffectiveness and irrelevance. We are saddened by the culture's headlong rush away from Christian principles, and our inability to significantly influence developments in the cultural and political realm. At times, it truly seems that we live in a post-Christian world, and that Christianity in this country is fighting for its life, weak and on the defensive, consigned to the private realm and unable to effectively spread the gospel message. With some notable exceptions, most ministries in New England are not growing, and many pastors would probably admit to being disappointed with the present level of spiritual vitality evidenced in their churches.

The sons of Zebedee came to Jesus and asked Him to be allowed to sit one on His right and the other on His left when He sat in His glory, but Jesus responded, "You do not know what you ask." Instead of the shortcut to glory they desired, He pointed them toward the Cross, the only legitimate path to power and effectiveness in the Kingdom. (See Mark 10: 35-45.)

Many believers and congregations, like the sons of Zebedee, clamor for a shift in the spiritual climate in our region, and deeply desire acquiring spiritual power and influence, but may be somewhat naive as to the possible costs that may be involved in such a visitation. In my own experience, I have often found the path to personal or ministerial revival to be painful, messy and unpredictable. There have been times when I have almost regretted embracing the journey toward spiritual renewal, as God has set about to methodically crush my pride and self-sufficiency, thoroughly and publicly humiliating me and exposing my sinfulness, before blessing me with a measure of the vitality and effectiveness I so desired.

I suspect that when revival comes to New England, as has happened so many times before in history, it will arrive in a humbler, less attractive garb than we expect. When the Holy Spirit moves, He loves to upset the elegant, respectable scenarios we have concocted for Him to work in. Even before God's Spirit arrives in power, much breaking and dying will have to take place within ministries and congregations, in order to prepare us for revival. The theological neatness and the order we so love in staid New England will have to give way to humble openness, and a willingness to engage in actions and situations that will inevitably break us and make us feel uncomfortable.

As we await and pray for revival, may we have the humility and wisdom to engage in childlike faith, and submit to the humbling, unpredictable ways of God's Spirit.

KEY VERSE: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit" (John 12:24).

ALSO READ: Mark 10:35-45, 2 Kings 5:1-14, Matt 18:1-4.

REMEMBER: The only legitimate path to power and effectiveness in God's Kingdom is to follow Christ in humble submission to His Spirit.

¶ 10:09 AM