“Let us search out and examine our ways and turn back to the LORD. Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven.” (Lamentations 3:40–41, NKJV)

Jeremiah had seen firsthand what can happen when people ignore God and His laws. Jerusalem, the city of the great king and the pride of Israel, was destroyed. Solomon’s temple was in ashes, and the people were slaves in Babylon. God had been righteous; He had done just what He said He would do. But the people had paid no attention. Now it was too late to reverse the consequences. But there was still hope.

They were still the people of God and the sheep of His pasture. The LORD still loved them and had good plans for them. He was waiting to be gracious to them. But they needed to return to Him. God had chosen them, but they also needed to choose God over their own ways.

Revival always begins at the point of personal dissatisfaction. We must be convicted and convinced that we are not what we should be. We must remember the height from which we have fallen, repent and redo what we did at first (Revelation 2:5). This begins by making a personal inventory of ourselves. Unfortunately, most people would rather point out the faults in others than look in the mirror and ask God to reveal to them their own faults. But revival never begins with pointing the finger at someone else; revival begins with confessing our own sins and turning to God as our Forgiver, Redeemer, and Healer. It is amazing that no matter what we have done He is willing to receive us if we come to Him with sincere and sorrowful hearts.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37, NKJV)

We lift our hearts to the LORD and ask Him to search and purify them. We lift our hands to the LORD in Absolute Surrender. Jesus never sinned, and yet this is what He did in the Garden of Gethsemane.

“…not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42, NKJV)

I believe our nation is on a fast-track to destruction. But I also believe that the church can reverse this trend if we will all truly return to the LORD.