Scripture
Our verse today focuses on revival and comes from Philippians 2:13, ” For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. “
Background & Application
As we think about revival, two questions come to mind.
The first question is why do I need to have revival? What we really want to know is what’s wrong with getting by like I am? Giving God a lot and knowing Him some is better than most people do. But do you really want to live a mostly honest life? Do you want to be obedient only when it’s easy or convenient? Frankly, that’s the life of an 8 year old. God wants you, but He wants all of you. And when we give Him that, it opens our eyes to His good pleasure, the very reason He is working in our life. Tasting that, there really is no other choice.
Now, the second question asks how are we supposed to do all of this? I mean, revival speaks to some big stuff like holiness, humility, and grace. We are challenged in difficult, practical areas like forgiveness, honesty, sexual purity and obedience. It sure sounds like a lot of work. In fact, it sounds like it’s impossible, or at least impossible for anyone who’s conscious. And I believe it is impossible for us to accomplish on our own. God tells us that He is the one who works in us to will and to do. Now how that all happens is not real cut and dry. But that’s ok. The Bible tells us we are washed clean by the blood of Jesus, that to die is gain, that we are saved by faith, that He created man in His own image and that same man chose evil over good. We’ve heard these things for so long that we may think we completely understand them. But we can’t, not completely. And we shouldn’t expect to. Why would we worship a God that we can fully understand or comprehend?
What sense does it make to give praise and honor to a God whose power I can fathom or whose every method or motive I can explain? That’s why the world doesn’t worship him, they think they’ve explained Him away. But I do understand one thing completely, that what God says is true. If I seek Him, I will find Him. And that’s really all the work He asks of me.
Charge
As we seek Him today, look back and see how far you have come. Try and imagine all that God could do with all of you. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit and pour His grace on you, even if you don’t fully know how it happens.
