By Jeremiah Taylor
Summit Family,
What an incredible joy it was to see our three congregations come together to worship God and hear from Him for four consecutive nights during Revive Us! God's Spirit truly moved throughout our time together. As we worshiped God, sat under His preached Word, heard testimony from our brothers and sisters about all that God has done in their lives, and witnessed many baptisms, our hearts were taught, pricked, convicted of sin, stirred, encouraged, given great hope, and so much more!
We never actually know what will happen during Revive Us. We plan, we pray, yet we recognize that God can do whatever He wants. He can pour out his Spirit in a special way or withhold it. Either way, He's worthy of our praise! Revive Us has always been a time to posture ourselves before God and ask Him to do what only He can — revive our hearts again.
"Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation." - Psalm 85:6-7
While I don't know what that prayer looked like for you walking into Revive Us this year, I know what it looked like for me. Perhaps your prayer was for God to reawaken your soul to Him after a long slog through apathy. Perhaps it was that God would strengthen you in a season of great weakness. Maybe it was that God would finally lay a crushing death blow to your besetting sin that keeps dragging you down. Perhaps your prayer was for God to speak peace to your insecurity, grace to your legalistic heart, or comfort to your suffering soul. Whatever your prayer was, our desire as your pastors is that God has given you all that you asked for -- that he has indeed revived you. And we know this -- even if God has not answered our prayers exactly the way that we would have liked (as one pastor puts it), God always gives us exactly what we would have asked for if we knew everything that He knows.
Your testimonies about what God has done in your life as a result of Revive Us have been nothing short of amazing. Sinners have repented. Some, walking in deep darkness for a long time, finally stepped into the light. Sufferers rejoiced as they trusted in God's goodness again. God did great things for His people! For that is who He is -- great! If you would like to testify to God's goodness and how he showed up for you during Revive Us, we would love to hear all about it. You can share your story by clicking here.
As I conclude, I want to remind you of some of the last words spoken in the book of Revelation. After we are told that Jesus is on his way to make all things new, the following invitation is given:
"The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." - Rev 22:17
While Revive Us has concluded, this invitation to experience the Lord's goodness remains. We don't actually need a specific event like Revive Us to stir our affections and reinvigorate our faith (though it certainly is helpful); we simplyneed to keep returning to Jesus and drink deeply of His satisfying presence again and again. To that end, let me encourage you to participate in God's ordinary means of his matchless grace as you seek to abide with your savior in the weeks and months ahead.
WHAT’S NEXT?
1. Pray
2. Read your Bible and talk to God about what you read. Ask Him for help to understand and practice it.
3. Participate in the gathering of the saints every Lord's Day
4. Join a Community Group and do life with other Christians who also are trying to abide in Jesus
5. When you have the opportunity to tell other people about God's grace in your life, do it.
You'll be blessed, I promise.
On behalf of the Elders of Summit, you are very much loved.