Revival

A few years ago I read Jim Cymbala's Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. I remember being impacted by the thought of what God could do if we, the church, would really humble ourselves and seek Him in prayer. I started reading the book again the other day and I'm still convicted of the same thing: the church, in large part, doesn't live a very full life when it comes to prayer.

Our prayer, too often, seems weak or even contrived. We pray because we're 'supposed' to pray - at meals, at bedtime, at church... We pray when we want something. But do we "pray continually"? Do we pray just so we can talk with God? Do we spend time praying just to hear His Voice?

After Solomon had the Temple built in Jerusalem, listen to what God told him. "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (2 Chronicles 7:13-16)

The eyes and heart of our Creator live where the prayers of His people are offered. If I'm not feeling very "in touch" with the heart of God, the first place I should look is at my inner life. Am I a person of prayer? Am I living a life that is characterized by a constant conversation with God? Only then will I be able to see the way He sees. Only then will I be able to love the way He loves.

A couple lines from my prayer journal last month asked God to "blow a fresh wind of Life into these bones." "I'm tired of feeling burned. Can I have some new life?" Shortly after those entries, I became acutely aware of the lack of depth to the level of intimacy in my relationship with God. In a worship time at camp, at HeavenFest, and in this book, I'm hearing God's answer: "Pray... Listen for Me... Stay with Me..."

It's been a good reminder. Maybe you needed it to. Seek the Face of our Father. Let Him do what only He can do.