{a reflection of Holy Week through the lens of the continual and consistent work of being REVIVED again and again}

My friend, Haley Barinowski, recently shared these words after reflecting on the word REVIVE as it relates to Holy Week. It pricked a place in my heart, and opened my mind to contemplate further this word, it’s meaning, and it’s transformational power in the life of all those who BELIEVE the Bible’s literally account of Holy Week and have RECEIVED Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior — those who have turned from their sin and surrendered to Him.

These were Haley’s words…

I've been thinking a lot about the word revive recently. Not so much revival in the sense of big church movements (although I want to learn more about that, too), but more about what it means to be revived personally — to be brought back to life, woken up, restored. And if the Lord is making all things new, then he is continually reviving. He was, He is, He will. I was in Luke some this week reading about Jesus last week before he died, and it was there, too, even on His way to death, He was bringing things to life…

Palm Sunday: He revived service by hand picking a brand new colt — choosing the unlikely and unfamiliar.

Monday: He revived worship by cleansing the temple — making a way for the poor and helpless.

Tuesday: He revived giving by honoring a woman's two coins — honoring a sacrifice from scarcity, not surplus.

Thursday: He revived religious ceremony by fulfilling the Passover dinner — bringing substance to symbols.

Friday: He revived our access to God by tearing the temple veil — bringing us in with boldness, not fear.

Saturday: He revived our waiting — bringing meaning to our longing.

Resurrection Sunday: He revived my desperate soul — putting death in its place and bringing me to life in a way I could never find without him.

And in that case, I have to believe He will do it again tomorrow. Every spring, every morning, every moment.

"Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name." Psalm 80:18

After reading Haley’s words, I opened the Word and did a quick word study on the word, REVIVE…

There was SO MUCH in the Psalms about being revived (specifically Psalm 119). The Hebrew word for REVIVE used in the fifteen verses below is CHAYAH, and it is used 264 times in the Old Testament. It has several similar meanings when translated. These are the translations that stood out to me: to live, to sustain life, to quicken, to cause to grow, to restore, and these verses all have a common theme. That theme and the profound meaning it has in the life of a believer leapt off the page and into my heart as I read these verses. I’ve highlight the words that connected the dots. I pray that message comes alive in your heart as the Holy Spirit connects the dots personally for you, too.