04
A Four Foot Tall Revival
Jon Burgess“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.” 2 Chronicles 34:1-2
A spiritual awakening in an 8 year old King resulted in a spiritual awakening throughout the kingdom. One boys personal relationship with God called an entire nation to know God again. The scripture says, "while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David" (vs 3). Could one kid really be a catalyst for revival? Today's reading also includes the significant detail that one young boys generosity in a field of need was all Jesus needed to have the materials for a miracle: "Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. 'There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?" (John 6:6).
It seems to me that from both the Old and New Testament accounts this morning the only thing hindering a 4 foot tall revival are old guys like me. At the least my generation is no longer convicted by the Word of God as we once were when we were young. At the worst we have buried the Word of God under years of traditions of men, excess, busyness and arrogance. Are we more like Andrew then Jesus when it comes to seeing the potential move of God in the young people around us? Recently Tammy Dunahoo, the General Supervisor of the Foursquare Denomination stated that statically most people invite Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior at the age of 14 or under in the U.S. She then said, "It could be that change our nation needs is under four foot tall." I saw this first hand over the week of youth camps New Hope just had. These young people are facing cultural pressure and temptation at a level no generation before them has ever had to and at a younger and younger ages. When you have fourth graders admitting they want to commit suicide to their youth leaders you know we are a place of crisis in this generation. What I also saw was that when they have a radical encounter with Jesus Christ they are "all in for Him"!
Lord I look at this table of youth leaders and young adults and see the proof of today's word in living color. Each of these wee invested into at a young age and have turned around to the same. I pray that You would give us the wisdom to uncover and apply the word of God in way that reach their hearts and change their lives. I pray that my heart would be moved to conviction and change whenever I sit down to read your Word so that the next generation would see that this is the real deal! I pray Holy Spirit that you would stir in the hearts of our young people as never before and that we as leaders would steward it well. That You would give us eyes to see that the five loaves and two fish each young person has, in the hands the Master, will indeed change the world!
