Revival Starts with Me

 At every game, every time Dylan gets to play, he looks at Dan and I from the basketball court seeking validation or approval, but mostly guidance.  He knows that Dan will always have some kind of advice for him in the form of a signal (well, sometimes it is a shout...but mostly just a silent gesture) that means something to Dylan...like directions or instructions on what to do next.  Of course Dylan gets these signals from Dan...me, on the other hand...I have very little to offer to him other than my support.  It's funny because like about a month ago, Dan told Dylan that he might have to skip a game that week.  Dylan was like..."what? NO! You have to be there! If not, who's going to tell me what to do? I'd look toward where you sit and it'll be only Mom giving me a thumbs up!" or a grumpy face... LOL...

The same way, as children of God, we look to Our Heavenly Father for guidance, especially when the path is not clear, the choices are confusing, the problems are too big and the light is too dim.  We look at Him for a signal, for advice, for enlightenment, for a clearing of the road.  And He, in turn, gives us that signal in ways that we can understand.  He doesn't shout.  He doesn't yell.  He doesn't even force us to do it.  He doesn't "miss any games" either.  He just lays it all out for us in a variety of ways, mainly through Scripture.  It is just like Psalm 119: 105 says,

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

How many times, however, we don't follow His direction? How many times, however, we miss His instructions because we don't spend time reading and learning His Word? How many times, however, we are looking at the wrong thing (or person) for directives?

After completing the construction of the temple as God had ordained it, King Solomon heard directly from God and His Word spells out a set of perfectly clear instructions recorded on 2 Chronicles 7: 14,

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

These instructions or steps were not just for King Solomon and the people of ancient Israel.  They are for us too, here, today.  But, what are we doing about it? What am I doing about it?

Students at Asbury College in Kentucky had non-stop prayer and worship services from February 8th to February 20th which has been called a revival.  Other colleges in other areas started their own non-stop prayer services too, and I pray with all my might for these events to spread like wild fire as the youth is showing us a great example of what it is like to look at Our Heavenly Father for guidance in humility, praying, seeking His face and repenting from our wicked ways. In a society and at a point in time when we complain about the youth (maybe you don't, but I do every day), it is truly humbling to see how they are the only ones bold enough to bring some semblance of revival to our country.  It is members of the youth the ones taking the initiative to follow God's directives.  

Me, on the other hand...what have I done like that? What revival efforts have I started? What non-stop prayer and worship service have I attended let alone initiated? I haven't done a thing other than complain about the state of depravity of the world. Perhaps, it is time to commit to the words of 2 Chronicles 7: 14 and stop the idle criticizing.  It's time for me to begin to be bold.  Revival starts with me.  May the Holy Spirit empower all of us to follow the steps in front of us so The Lord will hear, forgive and heal our land.  In the Precious Name of Jesus the Christ.  Amen!