Since the beginning of this year we have been journeying together using the book by Rev Tommy MacNeil ‘Sleeping Giant – A Call to the Church to Awake and Arise’ as our inspiration to revival. We have been encouraged to pray;
“Lord send revival, start with me!”
Acknowledging that we can’t expect revival in our church or community, if we are not first prepared to see revival in our personal relationship with Jesus. In my own relationship with Jesus I go through different seasons and there are times it is hard, times it feels like I have distanced myself from my Lord and Saviour and other seasons where I feel on fire in the Spirit and Jesus feels so present.
I took this photo on one of my recent prayer runs and in kneeling on the autumn leaves to take the beauty of the forth coming season, I was moved to see in front of me the revival of the earth in the strength of the snowdrops that push their way through the hard ground. It reminded me that the snowdrops were doing what they are called to do i.e. to be snowdrops. We are Christians and Jesus made our purpose clear, to love each other and to share the Good News of Jesus by what we say. That is why we are here on earth, God’s creation, and our personal revival should give us a renewed passion to worship God, in Spirit and Truth.
As we journey through Lent may we respond to Jesus’ call to awake and arise, to seek out a fresh awareness of God’s holiness and awesomeness. Tommy encourages us; ‘We worship God for who he is, not for what he can do.’ ‘The vision for God’s heart is for his church.. to be filled with his glory.’ Imagine Sunday morning, reflect on how this might look in our daily living and let us pray for revival in ourselves and be transformed to play our part.
Your friend and servant
Alan