Revival is . . .

Deuteronomy 1; Psalms 81–82; Isaiah 29; 3 John

In thinking about revival, thoughts of the need for it run through my mind. My flesh would point fingers but the Holy Spirit will not let me do that without pointing at myself. Today’s readings bring strong words, first from John Piper who wrote this in his incredible book, A Hunger for God:

“The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18–20). The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable”

The psalmist also used food to illustrate the condition of God’s people in his time. He writes about the same kind of idolatry — being satisfied with far less than God and their relationship with Him:

Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Psalm 81:8–16)

Yet God did not give up. He would deal with them. He promised that “the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29:14) He would foil those who denied that God was their Creator as they refused to acknowledge Him. His prophet also spoke of revival:

But there will come a day when “the deaf shall hear the words of a book” and the “eyes of the blind shall see” and the meek and the poor will exalt in God. God’s people will not be ashamed when “ . . . they see their children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur will accept instruction.” (Isaiah 29:23–24)

Revival is about restoration, about renewing the people of God to the life that He intended for us when He brought us into His kingdom. It is the strong touch of God on human hearts that have become dull to Him, who are eating from the goodness of His gifts yet murmuring and never really satisfied because those gifts do not fill the God-shaped void in us. Only Jesus can do that, but when we push Him out and replace Him with the stuff of the world, the void aches for a different banquet, for God Himself.

Revival is also about restoring our ability to learn about God, to listen to Him and accept His instruction. I think I do but the busyness of worldly living so easily replaces that eager responsiveness to His whispers of guidance. I cannot hear Him when my ears are filled with other noises.

Revival brings a new joy, a restoration to that first love. It is first and foremost for those who belong to Jesus and His church. Revival takes me out of my comfort zone and puts me into the will of God — not robbing me of happiness but giving me far more. Revival produces glad obedience and it fills me with delight in seeing all His people sold out for Jesus. With revival I can say along with John: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4)

APPLY: Ask God to reveal to me any worldly idols that keep me from living fully for Him and His glory. Open my mouth wide and He will fill it!