REVIVAL COMES

EDITOR’S NOTE: As many of our SOUND BITES Ministry subscribers have heard, an “awakening” or “revival” has been taking place over the last week and a half at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. One subscriber sent the following that just “happened” to be the devotional for yesterday, February 19, in “Our Daily Bread.”

REVIVAL COMES

Aurukun is a small town in northern Australia – its Aboriginal population drawn from seven clans. While the Gospel came to Aurukun a century ago, eye-for-eye retribution sometimes remained. In 2015, clan tensions grew, and when a murder happened, payback required someone from the offender’s family to die in return.

But something remarkable happened in early 2016. The people of Aurukun started seeking God in prayer. Repentance followed, then mass baptisms, as revival began sweeping the town. People were so joyful they danced in the streets, and instead of enacting a payback, the family of the murdered man forgave the offending clan. Soon 1,000 people were in church each Sunday – in a town of just 1,300!

We see revivals like this in Scripture, as in Hezekiah’s day when crowds joyfully returned to God (2 Chronicles 30), and on the day of Pentecost when thousands repented (Acts 2:38-47). While revival is God’s work, done in His time, history shows prayer preceded it. “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways,” God told Solomon, “I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

As the people of Aurukun found, revival brings joy and reconciliation to a town. How our own cities need such transformation! Father, bring revival to us, too.  

-- Sheridan Voysey in “Our Daily Bread,” February 19, 2023

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