Taking A Pause, Part 4 of 4
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Luke 15: 24
Revive
The last stage of the Selah (Reflect, Reassess and Repent) is Revive. Oftentimes in the church world when one speaks of “revival” the thought that is conjured is one of an emotional outpouring or an exciting series of evangelistic services. We read about the “Great Awakenings” in both the United States and Europe with adoration for a time when hearts and minds were changed from worldly pursuits to spiritual refreshing. All of these thoughts and historical events may be true outgrowths of revival. However, the true idea of being revived is very personal and truly occurs on an individual basis. Revival must begin in an individual’s heart, not just emotions, for it to be sustainable and effective.
When the prodigal or lost son journeyed into “a far country”, his heart and mind were set on taking his inheritance and finally living the life that he had dreamed of living. He must of thought about and planned his departure for a while until his heart was fixed and emboldened to ask his father for an inheritance that was prematurely granted. Because his heart was fixed on his desire, as soon as he was able to secure the resources, he took flight. The problem was that this son had not taken the time to count the costs. Had he paused to really think about the direction of his life before he allowed his heart and mind to be fixed, he may have charted a different course. Had he paused to ask wise counsel before his heart got in his way, that counsel would have worked with him to chart a right course instead of the one that he ultimately took.
How many times does that happen to us. We get off-course because we do not take the time to pause. We don’t reflect on past performance, both good and bad. We don’t reassess the direction that we are about to take based upon that past performance. We certainly don’t pause to take wise counsel before we jump into a decision. The Selah or pause is a time not only to think but more importantly a time to get before our Heavenly Father to gain divine direction for our lives. We do have the ability to seek God on our own. However, there are times when we are so emotionally invested in our thoughts and desires that we made need to seek counsel from a wise brother or sister in the Lord. Our emotional investment may be keeping us from being able to get that direct connection to God and, in that case, wise counsel is warrented.
Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Proverbs 11:14
The lost son did not pause and subsequently went on his journey. After not many days, he wasted all of his inheritance, a famine engulfed the land that he was in, he resorted to indentured servitude and he came very close to eating from the same troth that the pigs were getting their food (even touching the swine was an abomination in his culture). While he spiraled downward into his condition, his father never lost hope and continued to seek for his son. Luke 15:17 states, concerning the lost son:
When he came to himself …
In order for revival to begin to work, the son had to come to himself. He was forced to take a pause. His condition forced him to reflect on all that he had wasted. His condition, also, caused him to reassess what he was currently doing in light of what he was missing from his father’s house. Lastly, his condition caused him to repent of his current situation and to head back to the home that he had left. In his mind, he would not be retuning as a son. He had already given that up when he wasted the inheritance. In his mind, the only way that he could return was as a servant. In other words, the old self had died in his sins and he would have to return in a new position in life. This is where revival begins!
As he returned and his father saw him afar off, he ran to him and hugged him as if the son had returned from the grave. In essence, that is exactly what happened. The lost son confessed and repented before his father. In his heart, that was changed, he was ready to accept that he would not longer be a son. He was ready to accept his new position as a servant. However, his father had another plan. HIs plan was one of restoration. Not only would the lost son be welcomed back but he would be welcomed back in the position of a son. He once again would be able to enjoy the life that he once knew. However, it would be with a different heart and a different mind.
Revival can only be achieved when we acknowledge our old life or as the Bible states our old man is dead and we receive a transformation and restoration that we do not deserve. Salvation is that initial step into a life that has been revived. However, we must remain in a state of revival. This state of revival can only be maintained as we continue to pause in life. That pause is necessary on a very frequent basis. Paul said in the scriptures, “I die daily.” We must continue to “die” to self and those desires that would cause us to want to grab our inheritance and venture off into a far country. The circumstances of life constantly challenge us to be on-guard and be aware of the distractions that would cause us to look into other directions instead of the direction that God through Jesus Christ would want us to go. The good thing is that we have a Heavenly Helper to guide us in this life through the person of the Holy Ghost. Jesus never leaves us alone. As we take the time and pause and if our heart is right and receptive, the Holy Ghost will lead us into all truth … and revival can be sustained!
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JEFF