Ponderings blogly

Last Tuesday night I was at a prayer meeting when the leader asked me to pray for revival in the church. As I sat there during the beginning worship, I told God, "I don't know how to pray for revival in the church. -- I don't even know what revival in the church would look like."

Then I remembered hearing a radio preacher talk about how a church - a group of people in an individual building - should not be a country club. And it occurred to me that revival couldn't be only frenzied excitement. Then other ideas started coming. As others sang, I sat down and began to write what I was thinking. And then, as others began to pray, what they prayed gave me more ideas of what a revived church would look like - not just a church called by the name of God, but a church over whom the Name of God is called. There is a difference.

A truly revived church, a truly alive church would show close community, accepting one another in love, sharing ideas and belongings, praying for one another, and humbly receiving what is given. They would take God seriously (i.e., fear God), hunger for His Word, have a spirit of repentance and long for personal righteousness. They would want His will to be done in their lives and in the world around them. They would be alert to being harassed and hindered by others, but without fear or bitterness.

A truly alive group of people called a church would trust God and obey what He tells them He wants done. They would talk about Jesus among themselves and to others. They would take all the provisions that Jesus made available and freely use them. They would live in close relationship with Jesus through His Holy Spirit.

So that is at least a part of what a revived church would look like. In other words, they would be alive to God, which would make them alive to living.

When a person starts something, shouldn't she just do it instead of waiting until all of life is smooth? Much to my surprise and annoyance, it seems that I haven't written much of anything since August. No, that isn't true, because I have done some things in my journal. Sharing from that requires a decision as to what exactly can be put here. Instead, I am going to copy in here a part of a letter I wrote this week. It comes from something fun I thought about.

Aaaah. The sweetness of the perfect retort. Somebody (I'm not telling you who) was giving me a seriously hard time, when a come back came to me that was so quick, so good, so effective that I knew that my heavenly Father must have tucked the idea into my mind. Later in the car, I was still tasting the delight of it on my tongue. It was such delight that I found myself singing a silly little song about "My Daddy gives me treats." Can you picture, not a ridiculous old lady, but a tiny, unhappy child who gets given a candy to soothe the feelings?

Too bad for you - I have decided to quote the song here. Just be grateful that you don't have to hear me sing it.

My Father loves me
even when I'm bad.
He holds me in His arms
when my days are sad.

When life is a struggle,
my Father gives me treats,
And when it's really hard,
my Daddy gives me sweets.

My Daddy gives me sweets;
My Daddy gives me sweets.

He loves me, and He gives me sweets.

In the middle of the hardness,
My Daddy gives me sweets.

There. Aren't you glad that's over. I say again, be grateful you don't have to hear me sing it. So what else might be candy? Well - a sunset, a friend who laughs at my jokes, a laugh of any kind, a sudden explanation of a bewildering Bible verse, a page in a book by an older Christian that speaks to a need I have, a big drink when I'm thirsty, the first bite of good food, remembering something (or someone!) special, seeing a problem smoothed out when I thought there was no way, my kind of music (well, what I'm in the mood for), beauty in any form and, like I said, a brilliant idea when I really need one. Well, yes, the list could go on. And, of course, looking for sweets in a "God Hunt" is a lot more fun than counting my miseries. And those around me like being around me - yes, a sour face can freeze like that. When Jesus gave of Himself - with a lot of effort, I might mention - He made available many, many, many sweets, most of which we tend to let lie there unused. Enjoy!!