The Foolish Things

I love reading the history of revival - real revival. Every one (bar none) was rejected by the religious community of the day, most often the very ones that think they are waiting for a move of God!

In Wales, which arguably was the greatest move of God we have ever seen, God used a young man whose name was Evan Roberts to head up and give direction to this mighty outpouring.

Evan was not a eloquent man, some would even say unusual, to the point that people around him started thinking he was mentally unbalanced in the prelude to this great move of God. His family actually considered having him committed to psychiatric care prior to the outpouring hitting that nation. This mighty move of God literally saw the nation of Wales so changed that entire football teams were disbanded as people lost interest in football, judges were handed white gloves, indicating that there was no cases to try and policemen were literally unemployed. This was truly a move of God.

One successful and popular pastor invited Evan to speak in his church. As Evan got up to speak and struggled with his words and fidgeted, this pastor, Peter Price, got up and stopped him and said publicly 'this revival is a travesty of the real thing’ - I am sure he thought 'how could God use such a buffoon'!

Whilst this was bad enough! He then started writing articles in the secular paper that criticised Evan for everything, his style and his theology and 'the emotionalism' of his meetings. History has a wonderful way of recording these events. Evan Roberts has gone down in the pages of God’s wonderful scarlet thread of redemption and the weave of His amazing plan though the centuries.

I am sure Peter Price knows he was wrong now, and will live with the Lord and rue the day he said such things, but the damage was done. His comments brought to an end Robert's part in the Revival, and contributed eventually to his nervous breakdown. The great Welsh revival soon came to an end!

I am sure God, in his infinite grace still loved Peter Price but in truth he single handedly threw the stone that toppled one of God’s generals. If we don't learn from history we are bound to repeat it! It is easy thing to criticize what we don't understand. This is based in fear. When God chooses to use people that we think are 'wrong' or don't fit our understanding it is an easy thing to become a critic.

With the invention of Blogs and the ease of communication it is no longer necessary to write articles in newspapers, we simply write our opinions and send them to the world - however we must be so careful that that we are not found with the spirit of Korah, who stood against the work of God, he used his human logic to declare what Moses had been given to do, was not from God... In his foolish rebellion he led many astray. 

It is a sad thing thing that we somehow think the Father is pleased when we criticize and pull down his children. The reality is He loves us in in our weakness and our foolishness - He still chooses the weak and the foolish to shame the strong..