My eyes are dry; my faith is old
My heart is hard; my prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

I wonder how many Christians can identify with Keith Green when he wrote these lyrics. I expect that most would not admit that this is where they’re at, and many more probably don’t even notice how far they have drifted compared to where they need to be. It is amazing to me how easy it is to become lukewarm in my walk with the Lord while a dying world is in need of someone to stand in the gap on their behalf.

In the last month or so, I have become increasingly burdened for our nation. I am encouraged by those who are organizing prayer rallies and specific prayer times for Believers to focus on this important aspect of Christianity. But I also hope that these are not just emotional experiences that lift us up a day or so before we go back to our mundane lives. Prayer should be an integral part of our daily schedule, and what better time to change our lackadaisical ways than right now?

God is not a genie in a bottle, but if you are not seeing any of your prayers answered, I implore you to examine your heart. Repent for allowing other people or things to take priority over your time with the Father. And don’t just pray wimpy “bless me” prayers. Instead, specifically ask God for the things that you need, request that He help you to grow in the areas that you know you are struggling in, and allow Him to show you weak areas that you may not see just yet.

Revival begins in the Church. We cannot remove the speck from the world’s eye until we dislodge the plank from our own eyes. As we point our fingers at everyone else, our hypocrisy is glaring. We may be blinded to it, but others are not.

If you find yourself merely going through the motions of Christianity while lacking the close fellowship with God that you once knew, today can be a brand new day. Cry out with the psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me into life everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23). Then find someone who would be willing to pray with you and encourage you to continue to make the Lord your priority. If you are truly His child, you will not regret that decision.