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| Evelyn's well-prayed Bible |
For the last couple of years, I have sat at Evelyn’s feet (literally at times) to learn from someone who has walked with Jesus for most of her 89 years. Last summer I spent an entire evening with her before her care-giver came to put her to bed. I sat on the floor and took notes. I asked her to tell me about when she experienced revival. What was it like? What led up to it?
Many years ago she and a couple of other women began praying for revival each week. She told me It turned out to be some of the worst weeks of her life! Instead of praying for revival in the church, God convicted them of their own sin. He didn’t allow them to pray for anyone else – just for their own hearts. Week after week. For six long weeks.
As Evelyn said, “Most of the sin He convicted us of wouldn’t even be considered sin by most people. It was things such as gossip, attitudes of the heart, prayerlessness.” But they prayed on, being obedient to everything the Lord showed them.
Finally, on the sixth week, the Lord said, “Now you may pray for revival.” And that very weekend, revival broke out in their church at the end of the Sunday worship service. Hundreds came forward in brokenness and repentance. Thousands showed up at their church in the weeks to follow because the Lord was so present in His reviving work.
As Evelyn shared that story with me, she also expressed her conviction that we are once again on the threshold of another great national revival. But it will be hard. God will need to convict His Church again of sin and cleanse His people. But when He does, we may very well see the greatest revival this nation has ever known – and many will experience salvation as a result. As Evelyn said, revival without the lost being saved is pointless. That has been her heart-cry for all these years!
Two weeks Evelyn invited me to sit down on her bed while she spoke some last words to me – although I certainly didn’t know it would be our final time together. She shared some personal encouragements for me, but then she looked at me, pointed her finger, and said, “Don’t take any glory for yourself. God won’t use you then.” I assume God had her say that to me!
As heaven was opening up to Evelyn this afternoon, she looked beyond those in her room and repeated over and over again: “It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. Jesus is holding my hand.”
Actually, Evelyn has been holding Jesus’ hand for a long time. But today she gets to see His face. It's all about His glory!
