Revival Looks Like Jesus

Growing up, some of my favorite memories were from summer vacations spent in the mountains of upstate NY. A most vivid memory is of my mom gathering us together at the end of our trip so we could clean the place from top to bottom before we left. Of course one of my siblings or I was sure to complain, “But mom, it didn’t even look this good before we got here!” And she would always answer, “You should always leave a place better than when you got there.” As much as it got on my nerves when I was younger, it stuck with me as I grew into an adult. It’s actually a Biblical principle if you think about it. Wherever Jesus went, He always left the place better than before He got there. He brought revival wherever He went.

I often hear Christians talking about “revival” as if it were some distant dream we hope will one day become reality. Revival seems to have become one of those church “buzz words” believers throw around without fully understanding what it means. It sounds good, but do we really want revival? What does revival even look like anyway? I believe if we look closely at the Word of God, we’ll discover  REVIVAL LOOKS LIKE JESUS. And friend, if revival looks like Jesus, then guess what? As disciples of Christ, revival can also look like you and me.

Do you remember the GIF that was inspired by a woman speaking to a news reporter after a fire in her apartment building? She was describing the fire with great animation and how she later got bronchitis from smoke inhalation, ending with the phrase “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” We laugh at her dramatic flair but I wonder if sometimes we also feel this way when it comes to the things of God. Do we subconsciously, if not consciously by our actions say “Aint nobody got time for that!

The busyness of life is not an excuse. Jesus was busy too. “What??? Jesus busy??” Imagine this: Jesus had just 3 years to reveal to the world He was Messiah. That’s not very long, and while Jesus was the Son of God, He walked this earth as flesh and blood, facing the same struggles we do today. Think of the pressure He felt. Jesus was constantly surrounded by people demanding His time, pushing Him to live up to their expectations and fulfill their agendas. They wanted Him to give more, achieve more, and be more. Yet, in the midst of the busyness and pressures of the world around Him, Jesus remained committed to His purpose here on earth.  As I look at Jesus’ example, I see three things Jesus always made time for, enabling Him to bring revival wherever He went. Let’s take a look:

#1 Jesus made time for GOD

“…but Jesus often slipped away to be alone so he could pray.” Luke 5:16

We can’t say we love someone and never spend time with them. That statement may hurt, but it’s true nonetheless. If I said to my husband, “Honey I love you, but I don’t have any time for you,” that wouldn’t go over too well. Or what if I said, “I’ll visit with you on Sunday for an hour, and do my “duty” but that’s all the time I can spare.” I don’t think my marriage would last, do you?. Yet, this is how we often treat the most important relationship we’ll ever have – our relationship with God.

Jesus always made time for God, no matter how many people demanded His attention. We see throughout the gospels, Jesus slipping away from the crowd to be with His Father. If Jesus needed time alone with the Father, we certainly do! Too often we’re running on empty and it’s evident in our words, attitudes and actions. We need to be revived so we can bring revival to others.

#2 Jesus made time for PEOPLE

Jesus was NEVER too busy for anyone. He often went off the beaten path to minister to people deemed by others as insignificant. Sinners, women, beggars, children, lepers, the grieving, the sick, the bound … all were important to Jesus. In the noisy, bustling crowd, Jesus heard the blind man calling out to Him, felt the touch on the hem of His garment, and saw the man peering down at Him from up in a tree. Jesus’ life was guided by love and compassion. He was never so caught up in His destination that He lost sight of the souls before Him. He was never so distracted that He missed the voice of the Holy Spirit leading Him to touch the life of another. His entire 3 years of ministry were filled with moment after moment of human connection.

Today, we live in a world where human connection is becoming obsolete. I marveled the other day when I ordered food from an app on my phone and had the option to have a person leave it by the door so I didn’t have to see them. It’s called “contactless delivery.” WOW! We live in a society where we can live stream church, zoom a meeting, email, text, shop, and even pay bills with the click of a keyboard. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes these things are convenient, but when convenience becomes the standard, we have a problem. We’re losing the very thing that is vital to our mission here on earth … human connection. This, combined with the “rat race” living many of us are caught up in, is causing us to miss out on the Divine appointments God has for us each day. There are people that cross our paths every day that desperately need a touch from God. No judgment here, friend, because there have been times I’ve gone through my day and even my week and when I finally slow down to hear God and look at the whirlwind of my life, I cry, “Lord, I missed it!” No, God isn’t condemning me, but the truth is “Godly sorrow leads to repentance.” Friend, may we feel this Godly sorrow that causes us to determine in our hearts to do better.

#3 Jesus made time for MIRACLES

Miracles are messy. They’re inconvenient. We all say we want to see miracles, but are we willing to move from our comfort zone to see them happen? One day my husband and I were walking in the community we lived in. As we walked around the block, I suddenly realized we were walking in the opposite direction of everyone else. I started to change directions, when I heard the Lord say “I didn’t call you to fit in, I called you to stand out! Jesus went against the grain. He didn’t try to fit in with social norms. He loved sinners. He ate with the tax collectors and the prostitutes. He spoke the truth boldly. He healed on the sabbath. He touched lepers. He spoke to Samaritans. He forgave what others considered unforgivable. He turned no one away. He offered Love and Life to EVERYONE.

We can’t be afraid to stand out for Christ. We must love boldly. When love dictates our every action, our lives will reflect Jesus and like Him, we’ll bring revival to those around us. We don’t have to wait for it as a dream in the distance. We’ll live it right here and right now. I think of when Jesus said the kingdom of Heaven isn’t somewhere out there in the future, but the Kingdom of Heaven here now and it’s in you (Luke 17:21)! That’s a powerful statement that can change how we live each day if we truly grasp hold of it. Some will continue to say, “Revival? Ain’t nobody got time for that.” But for those who have ears to hear, let us rise up and remember if revival looks like Jesus then it can and will look like you and me.