Revival: Realized
If Only….   ????

† Jesus, Son, Savior †

May the grace and peace of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus bring you such contentment in these times… that the idea of “if only” doesn’t come to mind!

What are you wishing for?

When I read the first verse of the Old Testament reading this week, my thought was simple.

“why didn’t I have Bob preach this week!”

Seriously, hear it again…

“What sorrow awaits you who say, “If only the day of the LORD were here!” You have no idea what you are wishing for.” Amos 5:18

And the passage gets harsher after that!

Why didn’t I have you preach on this one Bob?

I think, especially as we dealt with the trauma of an election, as we deal with the trauma of COVID, as we all deal with other hurts, other grieving, there is a necessity to look toward the second coming – never think I believe otherwise.

This passage doesn’t say that is wrong, but it addresses a major issue, one that we need to address.

And understanding that helps us see the revival that God is working in our midst.

If only… we didn’t say… “if only!”

If you are seeking “if only”… what is missing?

I want you to hear what it means to say, “if only”

That day will bring darkness, not light. ¹⁹  In that day you will be like a man who runs from a lion— only to meet a bear. Escaping from the bear, he leans his hand against a wall in his house— and he’s bitten by a snake.

Of course, there is the modern version. When you run from the political discussions, you end up running into another COVID scare, and when you escape that, and rest, you have to deal with a household of people with cabin fever!

The “if only” attitude creates a problem for us, simply because it shows where our faith is, in a weak and even dangerous place. We go looking for God to come back, simply because we want to escape our problems here and now.

I know that desire all to well, but it is so dangerous!  For it means that we have forgotten that God has promised everything, including these times, will work out for good, and that nothing can separate us from Him.

Which means sin is having and impact on us. Either the sin of the world weighing us down, or the damage our sin does, hiding the presence of God from our eyes. In fact, it is usually both, both.

Both because we usually don’t react to the sins of others without sinning ourselves. Be honest…. as all the stuff has been going on this week, how many of yousr thoughts were about God providing for you caring for you? How many thoughts, and how many words recognized that God was here, that you were being cared for by God?

And how many were doubting the future, and complaining about the present situations we are enduring?

Those thoughts, those sins, are all sin.

That is the problem with the “if only”! 

We are looking for an escape from our situation, that is the reason we want God to come back. Not to dwell in His presence, simply to get out of the problems we are dealing with here.

And that attitude is a lack of trust in God, and a desire to not depend on Him to deal with us. It is one thing to seek salvation from our sin, another to seek being rescued from situations beyond our control, but not beyond God’s.

So how do we learn to trust Him, to depend on His keeping His promises, in such a time as this?

The time for a flood

The answer is a flood….

Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.  Amos 5:24

Going through the motions won’t do it.  We can sing loudly, we can memorize the entire liturgy, we can even receive communion every day… but what matters is Go’s justice, and God’s righteousness.

God’s justice, God’s righteousness needs to flood over us.

We need to see the world, and see God’s way of declaring people right with Him as the answer to our lives. We need to see His idea of justice come to be our reality.

The idea where sinners are justified, not faking it, but being justified by the blood of Christ.

To trust God, to know the power of the cross, to be drawn to receive the forgiveness of our sins. To live in the ministry of God reconciling us to Him, and cleansed of sin.

This is what it means for revival to happen in our lives.

We realize the presence of God in our lives, a presence so powerful that we can be righteous, we can look at the sin and realize God has the answer for it.

So instead of sin, we see God’s work, making all things work for good. He is our protection, so we can run to Him, we can bring others to Him.

This is the flood we need! To see that we dwell in God’s presence, no matter what… that this flood is the Holy Spirit coming into out lives, washing away every that is not holy, not pure.

This is revival. Right now, in this moment. This is why we are here… to see the Holy Spirit cleanse us, and so many others! For only He can bring the justice and righteousness we have.

This is a time to rejoice, and to desire God’s presence, now and for eternity.

Not because we want to escape… but because we are content, and at peace in His presence, and desire it more!

For in His presence, we know a peace that is beyond explanation… for Jesus rules our hearts and minds…even as we long to see Him face to face!

AMEN!