Say you want a revolution?

For you older types you know the next line..."Well you know we all want to change the world..."

Written by John Lennon almost 40 years ago, it is still powerful. I have been spurred on in my thinking about revolution thanks to Bill W (not the AA guy even though he probably was one). The Bill I know passed along to me a copy of "Exiles" by Michael Frost who titles one chapter, "Songs of the Revolution."

After critiquing worship songs as somewhat spiritually sappy love songs (ie) "Jesus I am so in love with you", he goes on to talk about Jesus as a revolutionary and the action that indicates. Love is not never having to say you are sorry. Love is action. Love is gritty and it is obedience and communication. I encourage you to pick up a copy of the book if you want more details.

As I read, my spirit soared and I thought, "Yes!" and then I went to get another cup of coffee, and the feeling left me. I thought, "Nah!" Then I read some more (he quotes a lot of scripture) and I came to this thought: We are not revolutionaries. The spirit of revolution has been lost. Those who lived around here in 1776 were revolutionaries. Since then we have only had pockets of revolutionaries. Schaffer may have been right, we are into personal peace and affluence.

The problem with that is our leader is a revolutionary. He changes evil for good. He is action and justice and boldness. He rights wrongs. That is the movement we have been called into. Deep down our hearts will be restless when we are not engaged even though for a time we may sleep.

So, on a bright beautiful Saturday, what should we do? Should we sit by the bank of the river and weep? Should we mow our lawns? Should we examine our lives and see where perhaps we can be a bit more revolutionary? Should we look around and see if there are any others like us, who have an itch to revolutionize the world we live in, who will serve, give up, lead, go? All of the above I think.

This morning, this morning, I am in.

My daughter has turned me on to a Hillsong song. Forty years after Lennon. This song is a better one about revolution I think. I can not imagine we would use it in worship on Sunday, but it is worth listening to on iTunes if you are a bit of a rocker. As you listen I encourage you to think revolution and about not leaving the world the same. Blessings

Hillsong United - Revolution

One generation living salvation
Here we go
Seeing revival we will defy all
That holds us back from You
So we will rise together
And with one voice to say
Jesus is our Saviour
There will be no other
We will shout it out
We want the world to know

One generation living salvation
Living for You
Seeing revival we will defy all
That holds us back from You
This is the generation
We live devoted to Your Name
This is the revolution
We will not leave this world the same
‘cause we want the world to know
We want the world to know
We live our lives for You
In all we say and do
We want the world to know
We want the world to know