Of Geese and Revival
I hate geese! I never used to, but now that I own property, where my house is on a large pond, I have learned something about geese. They are filthy, disgusting creatures that do nothing but eat and poop. They love to come up in our backyard and hang out—making a mess everywhere.
I have tried different ways to get rid of them, but nothing works. (I can’t shoot them because they are protected.) For a time, early in the spring when they first appear on our pond and start coming into our backyard, I can simply stand on the back porch, clap my hands, and yell, “Get out of here.” They will leave. But over time they realize this noisy person is simply staying in one spot and there’s no need to move. So they don’t.
Now, every morning when I get up and every afternoon when I come home from work (and multiple times through the evening), I come running out of my back door with a broom, yelling at them. It is fun to watch three or four families with little ones scurry here and there as they keep ahead of this idiot screaming at them. I can get rid of them for a while, but it takes a whole-hearted effort on my part.
Only Clapping
Our Hands In some ways, I think this is a metaphor for what needs to happen with revival praying today. When our nation started morally deteriorating in the mid-1960s (prayer removed from schools) and early ‘70s (legalized abortion), our prayer efforts were similar to clapping my hands on the porch. We were content just electing officials who were opposed to abortion. But as things kept getting worse and worse, efforts increased only a little.
In the ‘80s and ‘90s we switched to chasing the geese with a broom. Prayer ministries launched with the sole purpose to pray for our nation. Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ called for fasting and prayer as the only answer for our nation. These efforts seemed to increase awareness and motivate people to pray. But the impact lessened as we moved into the new century. (I guess we were getting weary of chasing the geese.)
In the last few years, however, more and more individuals are recognizing that the only hope for America is a revived Church. Prayer for revival is building again as people get more desperate over the worsening situation. As we realize we cannot do anything to fix the problem—anything, that is, but pray—we are seeing an ever-growing, unified effort.
In the Old Testament, when things got really dark spiritually, God always responded to a unified “crying out.” And I believe He will today as well.
That’s why I am hopeful and excited as I see unifying efforts like OneCry, Renewal of America, the Awakening America Alliance, and other groups uniting with a clarion call for revival prayer. What about you? Are you praying for revival in the Church and a fresh outpouring of Christ’s Spirit to bring a spiritual awakening again to the United States? I encourage you to check out some of these groups and get involved.
Crying out to God in a unified way will move the geese.
–Jonathan Graf is the publisher of Prayer Connect magazine.
(C) 2014 Prayer Connect magazine
