Afterwords -- week 40
"Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" (Psalm 85:6)
September 24, 2022
Dear friends,
What does it mean for the Christian to be revived? The old hymn says, "Revive us again, fill each heart with thy love. May each soul be rekindled with fire from above." (W. P. Mackay, 1863) Over the years I've come to realize that a "revival" is not a church meeting, but a movement of the Holy Spirit in the believer's heart. To be sure, that may take place within a congregation, but its essence is a renewing work of God in the life of each believer. In the words of another hymn, it is when, turning our eyes to Jesus, we see that "...the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace." (Helen Lemmel, 1922) We need reviving when we lose the wonder and joy of our salvation. In times like that Psalm 85 is a prayer that we can make our own...
PRAYING FOR REVIVAL (Ps 85:1-7). This psalm is a petition for national revival and restoration after a period of decline. Israel had been the object of God's forgiveness and deliverance (vv 1-3). Now, the petition is, "restore us once again, and revive your people so that we, seeing your love and salvation again, may rejoice in you" (vv 4-7, paraphrased). When God revives us, joy follows (Neh 8:10; Ps 51:12). Weeping for sin may (and often does) come before joy, but the joy of the Lord will be evidence of renewed life, just as it was at conversion (1 Thess 1:6; Gal 5:22; 1 Pet 1:8). It's experiencing "times of refreshing" (Acts 3:20) and being restored to our "first love" (Rev 2:4). It means we see and feel again the power that gripped us before, of God's holiness, and mercy, and grace, and kindness given to us in Jesus Christ. In revival we recapture the wonder of our salvation.
DON'T TURN BACK (85:8-9). The psalm warns, let not the people turn back to folly again, that God's glory may dwell in the land. For Israel it was the promised land and the joy of dwelling there under God's blessing. For Christians (from all nations) our ultimate glory will be to live together on the new earth under the new heavens in the glorious fellowship of God (Rev 21-22). Even now his glory rests upon his people through the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). Unconfessed sin robs us of the joy of the Lord. Repentance (turning around) is an important part of restoration (Ps 32:5; 51:8). In revival you will come to think first, "I've been such a fool," and then, "how kind and merciful God is!"
SEEING THE BEAUTY (Ps 85:10-13). Look at these beautiful words: steadfast love (hesed), faithfulness, righteousness and peace (shalom). In a metaphor for restoration these attributes embrace and look upon us kindly (v 11-12). The righteousness which goes before God to make the way (v 13) is none other than the Son of God himself, "the Lord our righteousness" (Isa 53:11; Jer 23:6; Ac 22:14). In turning to God we find eternal truths becoming real to us again. Our soul is rekindled, and the things of earth grow more dim. Such revival is not a one-and-done event, like justification. This world is a wearying place, and when we are tired and defeated, needing new strength, we should pray, "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" (Psalm 85:6).
FOR LISTENING. Enjoy this version of "Revive Us Again" by Reawaken Hymns. (Nathan Drake is a worship leader at Christ's Church in St. Louis, MO.) And this: a reading of Psalm 67 in the ESV by African pastor Conrad Mbewe.
ARTICLES.
-- "He confesses to the many false lures he followed as he sought the true source of his feelings of joy." Louis Markos on rereading C. S. Lewis. And also, we recently enjoyed the stage version of The Most Reluctant Convert!
-- "If you want to be a champion of the truth, you can’t be selective about it." (Jonah Goldberg)
-- "In view of the sex-soaked Egyptian phallocracy, no wonder monotheistic women like Miriam shook their timbrels in celebration when they left." (Matthew Milliner)
-- "If you can only choose one discipline, go to church. Make attending corporate worship the top priority for your family." Read "Parents, Just Go to Church".
FINAL QUOTE. "Revival makes the ideal real within the church of God." (A. Skevington Wood)
That's it for week 40!
Sandy
Image credit: my photo of the archway into the Bishop's Garden at Washington National Cathedral, 2022. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.