WHO NEEDS A REVIVAL, ANYWAY?

There seems to be some call for revival in America today. I read one blogger's post in which she prayed that it begin in her. I admire her introspective look at herself. I was reminded of the song line that said, "let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me."

I read another blogger's comments in which they called for Almighty to indeed send a revival among the SBC. I heard "Send a Great Revival in My Soul" dancing through my mind. (It's in the Broadman Hymnal.) So, I can echo that call, too.

I read another blog in which that blog host had just preached a revival. And I was assured there had indeed been a revival.

So where is the revival? What does it take to have a revival? What does it take to get God in heaven to recognize we really want what we are asking for? What must I do to get His attention?

Can I pray for others to change their stinking thinking? Can I ask God to ignite a fire beneath all the board seats, pulpits and piano benches across the land? Can I go vote on Tuesday in my hometown in Oklahoma? Can I write the editor a letter? Can I pass an amendment to the Constitution of the United States? Can I take my case to the Supreme Court or the Southern Baptist Convention floor in San Antonio next June?

I went to my old faithful Amplified Version of the Bible. There it was in black and white. I knew I'd remembered seeing it somewhere. Time and time again, my husband preached it just before the evangelist came to preach a revival in our church. Indulge me, please:

God was answering Solomon's prayer which had accompanied the giving of a bunch of sacrifices. The sacrifices were consumed with a lightening bolt from Heaven. [Whoa! Cool stuff happened in those days when folks wanted revival.]So God appears to Solomon in the night, (a bit like He did to me last evening).

And according to my Amplified Version of the Holy Word, God said, "If I shut up Heaven so no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among MY people, if MY people who are called by MY name shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave and require of necessity MY face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:13-14. [actually, ya oughta read the whole 7th chapter, it's gooooood!]

So, I thought about what the Lord had told me. And I am reading this passage of His Holy Word. And I am certain I am one of His people. So it is up to me, me first, me primarily. I can't do anything about other folks. Only God knows if they are His people. Only He can tell who is a tare and who is the wheat. Only He can separate the goats from the sheep. Only He can tell who hears His voice. There will be many who deceive me on this earth. They will appear to have fed the hungry, and clothe the naked and have given a drink of cold water and have visited prisons. All in His name. But I simply can't tell who His people are.

Since there has not been a revival in the world in my lifetime, (like the kind I imagine happened at Pentacost) I'd say we have a few more people who are called by His name who haven't read God's instructions to Solomon. And I really wish we'd get the word out, cause I really do want a revival.

I'm tired of the drought in Oklahoma. I want my garden to flourish and produce more than blossoms that die at the first 105 degree light on Monday morning. I want the locusts who devour every new tomato that comes from surviving blossoms to implode into the finest fruit that was sliced and slapped between two pieces of homemade bread. And I'm so tired of sitting in the backyard, trying to enjoy the beauty of God's kingdom, while swatting mosquitoes and waving my hands at the gnats' frenzy in the air.

So, I think I'll get down now, and read those instructions to Solomon, one more time or two. At least until I get it right. And I suppose that's what matters to eternity as far as I'm concerned today. [copyrighted 2006 SelahV]