REVIVAL

Eventually, as my two regular blog readers will be glad to hear, I will not always have to make novels my posts.  It’s just that I get things on my mind and like to type them out.  You two regular blog readers get to enjoy.  J

In the online dictionary, the definition of revival as it applies to my post is

a. A time of reawakened interest in religion.

b. A meeting or series of meetings for the purpose of reawakening religious faith, often characterized by impassioned preaching and public testimony.

c.  A restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor after a period of obscurity or quiescence.

Here in my area, revivals typically occur twice a year, once in the spring and again in the summer.  These can go for a week of anywhere from two to six nights or can go for seven days twice a day.  Uh huh.  Really.  When I began to attend my church in 1974, it was the first church I had ever attended that did summer revival two times a day.  Kind of like a camp meeting except camp meeting folks go three times a day.  And yes, I’m still there.  ;-)  And I go twice a day.  Since then.  I have great memories of those particular twice a day services.  I can remember especially in addition to those spiritual services, the past “Youth Choir Days”.  My buddy in crime and I led this choir of children from ages four to twelve.  (Scary that those children will probably be at revival with their own children now.  How time flies!)  We would set a particular day during revival week for this special day.  The children would come to one of our houses (we alternated years) after the morning service, we would feed them lunch, play games with them, feed them supper, give them baths, and take them back to night service.  Sometimes there were 12+ of these children.   And the choir would sing both services.  We certainly were younger then and one might say, foolish?  But it made for great memories for us and the children. 

Anyways, as I always do when I write these things, I get off track from my original idea.  Sorry.  Back to the original idea.  In my opinion, there are two really important things about revival.  The most important is salvation for one who is “lost” and the other is the reviving of the others of us who just need “a restoration”.   

Many denominations have different ways of invitations to accept the Lord as Savior.  In my Baptist church, the invitation is given and one prays, believes, and obtains salvation.  So the purpose of this post is to write down my salvation experience, experience of grace, or testimony—whatever you might call it. I can only tell you for sure what I have experienced....everyone else's  is here-say and they must tell their own, so here's what I know to be mine.

I’m a PK….preacher’s kid.  I have gone to church more than most kids, I would imagine, as one had to be REALLY sick at my parents’ house to miss church.  No excuses.  My daddy pastored several churches.  It was at the third church he pastored that I first heard Jesus calling me to be saved.  It’s like our pastor says when he asked his mama how he would know he was “lost”, she would say, “You’ll just KNOW.”  And that is right.  I just KNEW.   But the problem was that I was shy or stubborn or both and didn’t want anybody else to know.  I thought I was really good at keeping quiet, acting normal--you get the idea.  My parents knew all along.  Of course they did.  I would try to get out of going to church or try to get my mama to let me go to the bathroom before altar call.  I don’t remember for sure but I’m imagine she would tell me to “hold it” till after church.  I just wanted church to be over.

It was the spring revival of my 9 year old year on a Wednesday night.  I sat about halfway back and my heart was beating so fast.   I determined during the preaching that as soon as they started singing the invitation song, I was going to the altar.   And I did.  Simply did.  I got down on my knees at the altar.  I remember it being a whitish vinyl covered altar and I just prayed, “Lord save me.”  Just me and Him talking.  I just believed.   I got a peaceful feeling and knew that was it.  It was all I needed to give me a relationship with the Lord and a home in heaven.  I still have it today, 47 years later.  In our Baptist faith, we believe that "once saved, always saved."   

It was a bit after that my school teacher told my parents that she didn’t think I could see the board well.  She was right.  I had bad eyesight and didn’t realize.  My daddy took me to get glasses and I remember the day we picked them up.  We had to go after that to get his drivers’ license renewed.  As we came out of the State Patrol office I looked out over that area and saw every leaf on every tree.  Sharp.  I was amazing at how clear my vision was with glasses.   As I have matured, I realize that my salvation is a lot like that…..like the song, Amazing Grace…..was blind but now I see. 

I was baptized in a large lake.  I remember when I put my feet with those white anklet socks in the water, my feet sunk in that lake mud.  I was scared but my daddy held on to me.  (He and I both were a lot skinnier back then....and I loved his bow tie!)

The choice to answer the call of the Lord has been the best I ever made.   I wish I could say I have always lived in a close relationship with him but I have not.   It’s easy to look back and see times I should have trusted more, loved more, and given more but I have a Heavenly Father who knows me and yet loves me just as I am.  I think that the older one becomes, the sweeter the Lord and that relationship becomes.   

So next week, I will enjoy our revival.  Maybe sharing this testimony that is mine has given me a jump start.   I feel revived just thinking about it!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

Amen.