You may have heard what has been happening on the campus of Asbury College. If you haven’t just google “Asbury College Revival” and prepare to read about the power of God. I have never witnessed revival with my own eyes. But as I’ve read the reports of what God is doing, I find myself leaning in, witnessing the action from a distance, and finding my heart drawn to participate. Like the woman who longed to touch the robe of Jesus in Luke 8:43-48, knowing just a touch was all she needed to heal her, I long for a touch. As I’ve read the updates, my only response is to crawl to my knees, bury my face in the couch, and cry out, “Come! Come to my city. Come to the cities of my loved ones. Please, Lord!”
As my heart has been stirred by these recent events, I am watching issues I have gripped so tightly fall from newly loosened hands. Insecurities and hurts and disappointments that felt so important days ago seem so petty. Life is not about me. I expend enormous amounts of energy mulling over what encircles me, yet the past two days I have sat at the foot of the cross and found a respite from my striving to be heard, noticed, and appreciated. To be found important and worthy.
Will you join me at the foot of the cross today? I know that sounds so cliché and churchy, and even just a few days ago I would have glossed over that phrase without much thought. But having done it the past two days, really done it, I see the power behind that simple invitation. You cannot sit at the foot of the cross and not notice how enormous God is. He envelopes us in love and overshadows our sin in sacrifice. It is where peace can not only be found but grasped. Freely and tightly. It is the only place where our mounting insecurities, hurts, and disappointments can be rapidly reduced from major to minor to unimportant.
We may not be in the auditorium of Asbury College, but we can join together in our hearts and sit at the foot of the cross. Let me invite you to come. Sit. Pray.
PRAYER
Lord, You are doing a work on that precious college campus and we want to experience it, too. Spread Your garment over here, Lord! Let us brush our fingers along Your hem for just a minute. Do what only You can do and that is to revive our hearts. But to be revived we must first be alive. So, for the hearts that have never known Your precious gift of life, soften them. Prepare them to understand You are real. You are kind. You are loving. And You are holy.
Have Your way with us, Lord. Forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9). Turn our eyes away from worthless things (Ps 119:37). Revive us.
Come, Lord. Come to our city.
Amen.
Don’t miss the movie The Jesus Revolution, based on a true story, talking about the revival that swept the country in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. It hits theaters starting 2/22/23, check a theater near you!
