Revived to Rejoice

This morning during prayer I turned to the passage in Psalm 85:6 that reads, "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"  The God who gave us life desires we would be delivered from death, and that is a reason Jesus was sent to seek and save the lost.  Through the Gospel, people once dead in sins are given new life as born again Christians and grated eternal life.  Even in the Old Testament, people God had granted life and land desired revival, that God would turn His people to Him again by faith.  Revival and repentance go together, for it is a change of mind and heart that involves turning from sin and looking to the LORD with renewed devotion and obedience.

When people speak of revival, they do not always take into account repentance of sin and recognision of how far people have drifted from God as a necessary part of the equation.  The sons of Korah sang, "Turn us, O God of our salvation" and illustrate our need for God to do a work in us.  "Revival" is more than a growing interest in church gatherings, attending services or prayer meetings.  It is something accomplished by the Holy Spirit within the hearts of God's people that often impacts others for God's glory.  In one sense it would be wonderful that revival would not be necessary because by God's grace we continue to seek the LORD and obey His voice, allowing the life of Jesus to be lived out through us.  Because we do live in bodies of flesh that sleep and wake up, with limited energy stores and strength that is depleted and restored by nourishment and rest, in a world marked with seasons and cycles, our physical and spiritual need for renewal and revival is ongoing.

There could be countless reasons why people long for what they call revival:  an awakening to the goodness and power of God, more people coming to church, a miraculous increase of concerned souls who are saved, that people desire to see excitement in others concerning Jesus they are lacking in themselves.  But the reason connected by the psalmist for the revival of God's people is so they would rejoice in God.  How wondrous this is!  We are more apt to rejoice in revival than in God who is gracious and powerful to revive us again!  How easily we rejoice in the gift more than in the Giver, in our hope of salvation than our Saviour who calls us to Himself.  It is good for us to consider:  how much of our rejoicing is in God alone?

The song continues in Psalm 85:7-8:  "Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. ⁸ I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly."  God has revealed His mercy and salvation through Jesus Christ to all, and in Jesus we have peace.  We can have total confidence in all God has done and He will be faithful to His word, yet will we turn back to folly?  God has spoken, speaks and will speak, and let us be those who are of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world.  Though we remain physically in the world for a season, we are in Christ and He is in us forever.  Rejoice in the LORD, believer, for you have been revived to this end.