In a recent post called “Looking for more signs of Maturity” I recommended that in order to get spiritual food we should visit a Christian bookshop and have a good browse. Shortly afterwards I made a visit to my nearest one and came across a newly published book entitled “Land of Many Revivals” written by Tom Lennie. The book is prefaced by a poem/prayer, written by a gentleman named Alex Muir, entitled “Lord Have Mercy.”

Lord have mercy on our country
Turn our hearts to You again,
Though we’ve grieved Your Holy Spirit
By our deeds of sin and shame:

Though our sins rise like a dark cloud
May our prayers rise even higher,
Pleading for divine forgiveness
Pleading for the heavenly fire.

Bold Reformers, Covenanters
Interceded with their blood,
For the land they loved so dearly
For the freedom of Your word:

May the heart cries of our fathers
Now be mingled with our own,
As we intercede for Scotland
As we bow before Your throne.

May Your Spirit move in power
Until all the land is blessed,
From the North Isles to the Borders,
From Kinnaird Head to the West:

Bring the day for which we’re waiting
And to which our hearts aspire,
Visit Scotland with revival
Send the fire, Lord send the fire!

The book is subtitled “Scotland’s extraordinary legacy of Christian revivals over four centuries 1527-1857” and he argues that there has been a revival of some sort or another in each of these decades except the 1610s. No explanation is given for this but I note that this is the decade that the King James Bible was published, which rather a shock to those who regard this translation as the only translation in English.
So far I have found the book easy to read and would recommend it to others who have an interest in revival movements. As the writer is keen to point out that the book is not a history of the Scottish church as such but only certain aspects of it. Knowledge of Scottish history is not necessary but certainly no hindrance.
David Rose, 2015.