Revival

“Won’t you revive us again?”
(Psalm 85:6)

Some of my earliest memories of hearing preaching as a young Christian was in relation to revival. I heard stories of the Lewis Revival of 1949. I heard of miraculous moving’s of God through men and women like David Wilkerson and Kathryn Khulman. God was on the move.  As I listened to these stories, something of the glory of God, “something other”, broke in upon us and permeated the atmosphere. The beauty of His character was emblazoned on my heart. 
 
On two occasions in recent weeks, I have experienced again these echoes of revival atmosphere. 
 
The first happened in a morning church service at Teen Challenge. A retired Elim minister was speaking to us from the verse “Show me your glory” Exodus 33:18 (ESV). He recounted times in his life when, in particular need, God revealed Himself to him and His glory, the kindness and beauty of His character broke upon him..  As he spoke, the atmosphere in the room changed. What had started as a ‘normal’ meeting became charged with the glory of God. I felt the love of God, His care, His compassion, His bigness, His power. A spark of revival fire kindled upon us. 
 
The second memorable moment occurred when I was in church in the north of Scotland one Sunday morning. The preacher started by talking about being ‘chosen’. He told a story of how, as a child, he was always chosen last to be part of a football team. One day though, he was chosen first and couldn’t have been happier. He had been chosen first!!! He went on to encourage the company to seek to be chosen by God. “Choose me” he exclaimed. “Choose me!”  He then spoke about revival. 
Once again, that divine spark was ignited, and I felt that ‘something other’ come into the atmosphere.  
 
We can each experience a revived life through living obediently to God daily. We can be available to God to be transmitters of His presence. However, national revival doesn’t need to be a thing of the past. We can open ourselves to be channels of God’s Spirit and pray for that “something other” to move in the churches in our land again.
Don’t you long for a fresh moving of revival? I do!

"O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work... In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known.”
(Habakkuk 3:2)
 
There’s a sound upon the waters,
There’s a murmur in the air,
For a wave of coming glory moves my soul;
There’s the sign of a revival
All ye saints, prepare for war;
For the hosts of God are marching to the goal.
J Flanagan

​Pauline Anderson