One Thought on the Asbury Revival
As I sit here in my Rhode Island parsonage, I am many miles removed from Wilmore, KY - home of Asbury University.* I’ve never been to the college and have no inside connections to what has been happening on campus the past several days. Revival is what has been reported - unceasing worship since a Wednesday morning chapel.
News of what’s been happening has spread like wildfire. When it eventually reached me, my gut response was honestly skepticism and cynicism. I’m a church kid who has been around the denominational block. I’ve seen passionate worship paired with rotten character firsthand. My instinct is to say, “Let’s see what happens next.”
No doubt, what happens next is important. I hope this revival fuels missionary and evangelistic fervor. I hope it renews the church in tangible ways. Yes, these things should happen.
Nevertheless…what is happening now should also be what happens. Worship needs no justification - worship is just good. Worship is good like kissing your son or daughter goodnight is good. Worship is good like sending that sympathy card to a friend mourning loss is good. These need no defense, they need no explanation. It is all love and loving God with praise is supremely good.
Asbury reminds us that it is good to sit at the feet of Christ like Mary, that it is good to anoint His head and feet with priceless oil because he is worthy of all honor and adoration. Revival reminds us of the Psalmist’s song,
“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.”
- Psalms 92:1-4 NIV
It is simply good to praise the Lord. So put away your cynicism. Be glad for the news and start making your own music to His name.
*Thanks to Doug Veal for correcting the record! I was under the impression this was at the seminary.