Where Revival Really Begins

-Maria Enns

Last week Garth talked about surrendering in the quiet places, before the public worship and parade of Palm Sunday. This was a reminder that what we do in the hidden place between Sundays is crucial. Do we publicly praise God together on Sunday and then go home and hang onto our unforgiveness? Do we refuse to lay down our pride? Do we complain about how things are going in our lives? Do we feed our minds with destructive things? Or do we instead choose to shift things in our hearts and in the unseen, by choosing radical thankfulness? Do we choose to protect our minds and hearts by fixing them on what is true, right, pure and lovely (Philippians 4:8)? Do we choose to love and serve in ways that are not seen and might never be acknowledged?

Praising our Lord Jesus together today, and every Sunday, is good and beautiful and necessary, but it is meant to be the culmination and outpouring of an entire week of surrendering to Jesus — in ways that no one else sees. It means giving up our pride a million times to the King of Kings as He calls to us and draws us to Himself.

Maybe you missed that this week. Maybe your choices were more about hanging on than letting go — but God is so patient and merciful, and He gives us another chance to choose better. As we head into the next week towards Easter, knowing Jesus’ incredible and selfless sacrifice for us, what will you choose? Will you let go of what you’ve been clinging to? Will you serve without requiring recognition? Will you speak words of thanks and love and truth even when it’s not easy?

We all want God to bring change to our church and our community. We want to see His kingdom here. That kind of revival starts in individual hearts, in individual repentance and the choice to surrender those things that separate us from God, because we recognize who He is. He is our King and He is worthy of complete surrender.

Lord Jesus, we worship you, we surrender to you. We come to you in praise, with hearts that want you first, and lay down the things that keep us from seeing breakthrough in our lives and in our church. We give you everything, knowing that you did that first. Thank you for your sacrifice and your love and your mercy.