"It" is revival.
And recently, Shawn Blanc, a blogger and staffer at IHOP-KC asked this question, giving a very human and humble response.
Hundreds of miles away, just a couple of weeks ago, so did Dan Edelen. This post is worth a visit because he talks intelligently about the "why" behind the "wow" of a visitation from God.
Catalyst here in Lake County, IL is dedicated to positioning and preparing the church in this region for revival.
In this month's Charisma magazine, there is a profile of Bethel Church in Redding, CA, talking about the culture of revival at this church.
The reason so many people in so many different places are asking about whether we're ready is a rhetorical discussion. We know we're not ready. We know that what passes for normal Christianity is often normal (and toxic) religion - and that this religious wineskin will shatter when revival is poured into it.
I love to study past revivals looking for clues about what it might be that will spark a revival. I celebrate the stories of persistent, passionate prayer...the Herrnhuts, the Haystacks, the Azusa Streets, Wales. I celebrate the preaching of repentance that causes people to rend their hearts a la Joel 2, like Edwards and Finney brought to the church.
But the question of the hour isn't what revival might look like here and now. This external focus shifts the orientation onto managing our circumstances or our behavior in order to make it happen.
It will happen. It will happen because God wants a pure Bride.
The urgent question of the hour is "What MUST we do to get ready?" Join me in asking the question of God in prayer... The story of the bridesmaids in Luke 25:1-13 holds our strategy. And every time we ask "What MUST we do to get ready?", it changes us.
Oh God, what MUST we do to get ready?
6 comments:
Michelle,
My wife visits Cerulean Sanctum and found your blog...small world. We enjoy your posts. Dan & Tammy Dahling, (Zion Friedheim Lutheran) Decatur, IN.
Michelle - thanks for the link. You're right when you ask "What must we do to get ready?". That is a hard question. It's asking God "What do I still lack?"
Hey, so I was thinking that in order to keep my goal for Lent, I'm gonna have to make some others. Like not spending money on things that aren't healthy for me, and then there are a few others ...
Wow, Dan and Tammy! You put a smile on my face today!
Just visited your church website and couldn't find a link to e-mail you Dahlings. If you ever come back to visit this page again, e-mail me at mishvl@yahoo.com. I'd love to hear what is going on in your lives in Decatur, IN.
Jessica posted about fasting over Lent in order to get some unhealthy stuff out of her life. Shawn noted that seeking God to find out what we need to do to be ready for revival...for Him...is a dangerous question.
The two comments are related, aren't they? Any sort of fast has a way of bringing the crud in our hearts to the surface, as those committed to fasting regularly will tell you.
I can't get away from the urgency of the question - What must I do to get ready? (Search my heart, O Lord, and see if there is any wicked way in me.)
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