Revive us again
Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love. This is what the Lord says: “Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you. Isaiah 55:13-56:1 NLT
The problem with us is the lack of total commitment to God. Once this lack of commitment is ignored, we will then begin to drift away from the life God gave us. This is what Isaiah is calling believers to do. We need to return to God and experience spiritual revival. This happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to convict us and bring us to a spiritual condition where we become more open to God’s dwelling presence. It is when we abandon pride and in humility we express our need of God’s working within. “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts” (Isaiah 57:15). Revival happens when we are spiritually refreshed allowing God’s power manifested in His presence working in us. “Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah” (Acts 3:20). We then become excited knowing that God is working in us and through us. Because of our outlook to the glorious future, it strengthens our resolve to live well today. “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3 NIV). When we know the glorious future God is preparing for those whose lives are surrendered to His lordship, it sets the tone of how we look at our lives in the present. Such outlook in life activates the desire to live out God’s righteousness. “Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you” (Isaiah 56:1). The fullness and realization of salvation are heading our way.
Blessings,
