Revive Us Again

     Holiday weekend is over and life starts up where it left off. There really is homework galore these days, but I just need to settle in and get with it. It was an incredible weekend that involved running around in the woods, stargazing on the lake, hiking muddy trails and exploring small, dark caves, early mornings coffee with a balcony view, and encouraging and convicting messages. 
     I know for a fact, that I've been a very apathetic Christian this year. I knew that, even as I continued on my way, telling myself that I could get by. When in reality, I knew I was falling further and further away. All along I knew what I needed to do, but I kept procrastinating (something I'm really very good at). This weekend I was really challenged about how I'm living. If we, as Christians, aren't enthusiastic about our faith, then how can we expect the lost to be enthusiastic? Revival is something this nation desperately needs. It's something the world desperately needs. 
     Before revival can sweep a nation, it has to start in individual's hearts. Revival has to start with me. Revival is the renewing of God's people. Over the weekend, one verse kept coming to my mind:

     "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and week My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  -2 Chronicles 7:14

I can dress up the outside, pretend like I'm doing fine, but if my heart isn't changed--it won't work. The Lord really drove that home to me. We had a prayer meeting Saturday night and, and as I sat there I begged the Lord to break my cold, cold heart. Then a brother mentioned this verse, and I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face. I asked the Lord to forgive me, to change me, and to revive me in His ways. You see, Jesus Christ is everything we're looking for and yet He is what we're running from at the same time. 
     Surrender scares us. We aren't sure if we really want to give Him 100% of our life, yet it is so worth it. There truly is NOTHING greater than serving the Savior. Once you have tasted the goodness of the Lord, you begin to disdain the very things you once pursued. Once we fall in love with Christ, the world begins to lose its charm. People often think that they have to clean themselves up, and fix themselves before they come to Christ. It's just the opposite! Come to Christ and HE will change you. He works from the inside out.


This song came on my ipod on the trek home, and I thought it was so appropriate.