Let it Start in Me

Let It Start in Me

  

I’ve just been reading Rees Howells biography – Intercessor. What an incredible story of faith and trust. The story relates many things but one stuck in my mind. He relates that, upon arrival in Africa, one of the first things to happen was that they sang “Lord send a revival, and let it begin in me.” The song, it was related, produced a sound he had only previously heard in the Welsh Revival a few years earlier. As virtually none of us here in the UK know what the “sound of revival” is exactly, I tried to see what scripture says about it.

Is it this? - “As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you.” 1Chron 14:15

Is it this? -  “The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.” Ezekiel 10:5

Is it this? -  “After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,” Revelation 19:1

 Is it this? - “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.” Revelation 19:6

All these are representations of what God may sound like – but revival?

I looked at Exodus 33:14 “‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’”

I am increasingly conscious of the presence of God in me and around me as well as among the people in our church. It is almost scary in a way but there is a peace that goes with it.

Rees Howells put it thus -

"An awful sense of God's nearness began to steal over the whole place. There was a solemn expectancy. We were reminded of the 120 in the Upper Room before the day of Pentecost. Like them, we only wanted to spend our time 'in prayer and supplication' – conscious that God's hand was upon us -- conscious that He was about to do something. God was there; yet we felt we were still waiting for Him to come. And in the days that followed, he came.”

"He did not come like a rushing mighty wind. But gradually the Person of the Holy Ghost filled all our thoughts, His Presence filled all the place, and His light seemed to penetrate all the hidden recesses of our hearts.” Rees Howells - Intercessor

So it is that I feel His presence and it gets stronger, some might say heavier, daily. Yet it is not heavy – so many contradictions and paradoxes – carrying His presence is so light. As that old song said, “Start your revival in me, Lord.” It needs to begin in us first, then our church, then the rest of the world.

We will find out what it sounds like – very soon I hope.