Bend Me!
God found a young man who refused to miss a prayer meeting as he cried to the Lord: "Bend me!" This young man, Evan Roberts, was used by God as an instrument to see the gospel spread like wild fire during the Welsh revival in the early 1900's. Roberts began asking God for a 100,000 lost to be found and brought to faith. Not only did God answer Robert's prayer for 100,000 souls but he multiplied the influence of this revival around the world.
The Spirit of God descended upon the coal-mining country of Wales. J. Edwin Orr wrote of the impact that made upon the nation. He wrote, "Stocks of Welsh and English Bibles were sold out. Prayer meetings were held in coal mines, in trains and trams and places of business .... The magistrates in several places were presented with white gloves, signifying that there were utterly no cases to try.... Cursing and profanity were so diminished that several slowdowns were reported in coal mines, for so many men gave up usual foul language that the pit ponies dragging the coal trucks in the mine tunnels did not understand what was being said to them and stood still, confused." (The Flaming Tongue, Moody:1975, p. 19) The world entered the 20th century with the fires of revival spreading out from Wales around the world.
As Christians in Australia we long to see the lost found, the found discipled, and disciples multiplying all across our country. Our first task is prayer, to cry to God "Bend us, Lord!" Bring us to our knees as we pray for revival. As CRCA churches we are committed to pray: "To call upon God for such an outpouring of his Spirit that his people will be assured of his love through his Word, seek to please the Saviour in all things, manifest the godly life and be filled with prayerful and sacrificial compassion for the lost in all the world." But this commitment is more than simply having well worded value and mission statements; this commitment is lived out as men and women all across our churches, like Evan Roberts, bend their knees and pray. Yes, pray for revival! Yes, pray, bend me!
Several weeks ago as I was leaving Bray Park Community Church, our home church, a member of the congregation came to me and asked if I would give her a list of all the pastors and churches that are part of the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia. Just the names, no details! Why? So she could pray -- pray intentionally and specifically for each and every pastor and their congregation -- that throughout Australia our churches and leaders would have sacrificial compassion for the lost in our communities.
I was so encouraged by this woman's godly desire to be fervent in prayer. She is one like Epaphras, who the apostle Paul commended by saying, "Who is one of you, a servant of Christ, ...always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. (Colossians 4:12-13) May our churches be filled with such men and women who set aside time, find a place, and quietly meet with God on bended knee in prayer. May our churches increasingly see people gathered together for prayer meetings -- where we cry out together in one voice to God for an outpouring of his Spirit on our land. And may the day come in our day when we will see another spiritual awakening, where our society will be revolutionalized, where dead orthodoxy is turned into living, dynamic, gospel-centred communities, where our nation will turn its heart again toward God. And in these early decades into the 21st century may we too see revival come. O Lord, bend me! Bend us!
About the author
Jack De Vries was hired on by the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia and began his work as Ministry Training Coordinator in January 2008. In 2012 this role shifted to that of Ministry Development Coach.
Jack came from Canada where he pastored three Christian Reformed churches: Alliston CRC, Alliston, Ontario(1983-87), a church plant: New Life Community Church, Pickering, Ontario(1987-95), and Bethel CRC, Listowel, Ontario (1995-2007). Jack is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity - 1983) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Doctor of Ministry - 2003) Jack and his wife Jeannie currently live in Petrie, a northern suburb of Brisbane in Queensland. They attend and are members of Bray Park Community Church. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren living in the USA and Canada.
In Isaiah 58:11 we read: "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Australia has seen times of drought and floods. There is another type of drought in Australia; there is a spiritual drought. But God promises to provide refreshing rain, a never ending supply of refreshing water. The water he provides will satisfy the needs of all Australians. As we take up the missional vision God has given us we extend the life changing invitation of Jesus: "Come! Whoever is thirsty, come, and take the free gift of the water of life!" (Revelation 22:17)
