When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and see you burn. —John Wesley

Savannah, Georgia, has always been a charming city. Throughout the downtown area, its graceful squares rest quietly with their shady well-established trees, intermittent park benches and surrounding historic structures. Walking through the squares never fails to evoke a sense of the past.

On a recent anniversary trip there, my husband and I went for a walk before heading to dinner. As we entered Johnson Square, we were drawn in once again by the silent—and yet captivating—statue of revivalist John Wesley. With people meandering around us, we wondered how brightly we were “burning.”

Revival. The word may evoke different images for each person depending on our spiritual backgrounds. As a movement, though, revival seems a bit elusive in our culture today. We pray for it in our churches, but what exactly are we seeking? Sadly, Webster’s Dictionary defines revival—with its consuming fires from a holy God—as “a period of renewed religious interest” or “an often highly emotional evangelistic meeting or series of meetings.”

When the Lord established His tabernacle, He gave clear instructions for the priests to keep the fires of the altar burning continually. The same instructions hold true for us. While we do not take wood to a literal altar, we are a “living and holy sacrifice” placed on the altar of submission (Romans 12:1).

Without question, revival cannot be generated by man but takes place as God pours out His Spirit upon us. As His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16) and His royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), however, we are called to prepare and maintain the fire. Are we prepared?