REVIVAL – LET YOUR TEARS FLOW

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© 1999/2020 God’s Breath Publications

 

This “homily” (short Christian teaching) that I wrote some years back came from an experience I had many years ago. At the time, I was the computer projectionist in my church for worship presentations that assisted the worship leader and the church body during church services. The pastor had registered us for a worship seminar in the bay area so we could learn how better to service our local church body during our worship services. Below are my words as I drove home from this worship seminar.

 

My mind and body are tired from driving late at night returning from a worship seminar in San Jose. As I sit here at the computer typing, my lids are red, my eyes weepy, not from my exhaustion but from crying; crying from hearing God in the praises of His people. The day I left for the worship seminar I just received a new CD from Integrity Music. Its title was “Revival in Belfast.” It is a recording of live worship with Robin Mark in Northern Ireland. As I began my journey to San Jose Friday, I listened to it on the way down. As I heard the words and experienced the music and felt the presence of God, tears flowed down my cheeks.

 

I must explain that normally I’m not this emotional. I’m very reserved usually, but driving alone in my truck, listening to worship music is one of the moments I feel God very close. During these times, I pray, hear God speak to me, fellowship with Him and feel Him touch my soul. I think we all need times where we can let God invade our lives and touch our hearts and mold our minds. This was one particular time, that through this revival music, God touched me.

 

I am sure God planned the timing of my receiving this CD. There has been much talk over the last year about revival. Many feel it is already here and others feel it is yet to come. I have sensed that there is a need for revival, but have also felt that there is something missing. I believe what I felt while listening to this revival music is that in order for revival to come, God’s children must be willing to prepare the ground. While God sends revival in His own timing, I think He waits for His people to prepare the way. I think also, that in order for revival to take place in our own lives, each of us must prepare the ground of our heart, mind and soul. 

 

Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ, so we are called to prepare the way for revival. How do we prepare the way? We get our own lives in order. We seek holiness. We seek to gain an understanding of who we are and who God is. We seek God through prayer. We pray that God will send His Spirit as He has never sent His Spirit before. We pray that God will in POWER and MIGHT, convict men of their sins and change lives.

 

Let me share some of the words of one song on this CD that I think will touch your hearts.

 

REVIVAL

By Robin Mark

 

I hear the voice of one crying, I hear the voice of one crying,

Prepare ye, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,

Make His paths straight; Make straight His paths in the wilderness,

And let His light shine,

Let His light shine in the darkness, and let Your rain fall,

Let Your rain fall in this desert.

 

As sure as gold is precious and the honey sweet.

So You love this city and You love these streets.

Every child out playing by their own front door.

Every baby lying on the bedroom floor.

 

Every dreamer dreaming in their dead‑end job.

Every driver driving through the rush hour mob.

I feel it in my spirit, feel it in my bones,

 

You’re going to send revival, Bring them all back home.

 

I can hear that thunder in the distance

It’s like a train on the edge of the town.

I can feel the brooding of Your Spirit.

Lay your burdens down, Lay your burdens down.

 

From the preacher preaching when the well is dry.

To the lost soul reaching for a higher high.

From the young man, working through his hopes and fears.

To the widow walking through the veil of tears.

 

Every man and woman every old and young.

Every father’s daughter every mother’s son.

I feel it in my spirit feel it in my bones.

You’re going to send revival, bring them all back home.

 

I can hear that thunder in the distance

It’s like a train on the edge of the town.

I can feel the brooding of Your Spirit.

Lay your burdens down, Lay your burdens down.

 

Revive us, Revive us, Revive us with Your fire.

 

Once I had finished listening to the CD the first time, I couldn’t listen to it again. I was emotionally exhausted. I went about attending the worship seminar and learning all sorts of amazing things about the technology that is available for worship. On the way back home I placed the CD back in the player and again, tears flowed heavy as God filled the cab of my truck with His presence once again.

 

Such times of sensing the presence of God and being overwhelmed as He speaks to you through the Holy Spirit are often rare for some; sometimes common for others. But the point is not the frequency of when they happen, it is how we respond to such situations and do we continue to walk in the Spirit, follow the teachings of Christ in Holy Scripture and live a life of love and service to others.

 

I would say to all who are reading this short teaching a few more words.

 

If you are a Follower of Christ, a Disciple of His and you have wandered away from living as you should as a child of God or if your spiritual life has grown cold and you seem to be just going through the motions as a Christian, my advice would be to seek God in prayer, ask to be REVIVED in your relationship with Christ, if you pray honestly seeking Him, God will respond with encouragement, strength and power to renew your life in Christ.

 

If you have never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, God is but a short repentant prayer away. It doesn’t take fancy spiritual words to communicate with God, just a humble heart wishing to gain a deep relationship with our marvelous Creator God made possible by the death of Jesus on the cross. When you speak to Him in a simple prayer and ask Him to forgive you for your sins. He will forgive your sins. He will fill you with new life in Christ and send the Holy Spirit to live within you for eternity.

 

I share the following verse below that explains what those who have made that confession and desire to be accepted through the sacrifice of the Son of God, Jesus Christ have experienced.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

 

I hope you find some time through the week to speak to God, to share your thoughts, to seek counsel, to receive comfort. To prepare your hearts for revival!