We prayed for revival
with tear-stained cheeks
and raised hands
and hums of glossalalia
We prayed for revival
for this “morally bankrupt world”
this “wicked, depraved nation”
this “unsaved culture”
But what if
revival
was for us?
What if
revival is unveiling church abuse
and dwindling pew numbers
and ordaining trans preachers
and seeing prison abolition in scripture?
What if
revival is Black Lives Matter protests
and naming this country “stolen land”
and proclaiming “Abolish ICE!”
and the poor taking back resources from corporations?
What if
revival is HRT
and they/them pronouns
and gender confirmation surgery
and polyamorous theologians?
What if
revival is critical race theory
and intersectional feminism
and class consciousness
and fighting ableism in churches that believe disabilities are evidence of sin?
What if
revival is realizing there was never a “consistent, Biblical sex ethic”
and that it’s OK to reject eschatology that makes you care less about climate change
and that universalism should be mainstreamed because believing in a God who loves all makes you love better, too?
What if
revival is realizing blasphemy is not saying “Oh my God,”
it’s seeing pastors as God
and the Bible as Baal
and theology as a weapon
and making the government a theocracy?
What if
revival is atheists knowing who Jesus is better than Christians do?
Because I believe revival
is nothing like they predicted
and everyone they hated
and everything they prayed against.
The irony is
revival is already here
for me
and you.
