Revival, whatever that means.

I have heard the concept of revival mentioned so many times around churches in the last decade or so, but without anyone being able to tell me what it actually is. From what I have gathered though, I surmise that it is a re-awakening which comes from a fervour for God and results in many people coming to know God.

My thoughts are thus. When one breaks apart the word revival one is left with 're' & 'vival'. The second half of this word clearly comes from the root word 'to live' (vivre = french, vivir = spanish). So, revival is the process of being re-lived or re-born. If we are to see this re-birth in the wider world - which Jesus tells Nicodemus is essential for all of us (John 3) - it has to begin in the church, that is within the people of God. If we want to see revival, we first have to be revival.

How do we do this? True religion is a matter of awareness, of seeing God in the midst of everything and everyone. This is why Jesus exhorts us to be like children and why he tells us to remove the log from our own eyes before attempting to see other's sins (Luke 6). When we do this we are getting closer to fulfilling Jesus' command for us to love our enemies.Transformation comes in our lives when we see God in a new way and in new people. So, if we wish to see the world change we must first pray to be that change. In other words, we must embody the change we wish to see in the world. Ask God to give you his heart and his eyes and you will be on your way.

Isn't this the very meaning of the incarnation? Isn't this what Jesus' life and death show us? Yes, he shows us that God himself embodies the change he wishes to see in the world. Instead of critiquing and judging he rolls up his sleeves and chooses to get involved. This is likewise to be our attitude to the world. Then, my friends, we won't be able to stop the revival!