Acts 1:1-5
Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God. As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but "must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon."
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
During the holidays, I read a book called Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. This little novel centered on Mary and Joseph and all of the controversy that surrounded not only their betrothal, but most certainly Mary’s pregnancy and the weeks and months that led to the birth of Jesus. It’s a great story, and Ms. Holmes does a great job of giving us insights into the lives of Mary and Joseph’s families… the religious laws and cultural customs of the day… and the waiting.
Waiting seems to be a frequent theme in the Bible. Joseph waited for Mary… and Mary waited for the birth of Jesus. Often in the Old Testament, we read where David, Moses, Abraham and others waited on a word or sign from the LORD. Mary, the mother of Jesus and others waited at Calvary as Jesus was crucified… and Mary Magdalene and others waited near the tomb after His body was placed there.
We spend a lot of time in life waiting. We wait on graduation from high school… and some wait again to finish college and graduate school. We wait on a wedding date, and the birth of our children. We wait for a call to say we got the job… or the house. We wait for loved ones to return from war… and we sit and wait with those who are dying. And let’s be honest, many of us are not very good at waiting. We lack patience… and faith. Even when we know that the day is coming when everything will be fulfilled, we have trouble trusting the promises and believing that it will truly arrive.
So it should come as no surprise that we have trouble waiting on the LORD. We have trouble waiting on His timing… and believing that He really hears our requests and plans to make good on His promises. But we have so much evidence that He does exactly what He says. The Bible is filled with one example after another where God made a promise to His children… and delivered. We ought to know by now that God keeps his promises… and when He tells us to wait, it’s with good reason!
I don’t know what you are waiting on these days, but I do know this… whatever God has promised you, He will bring. If you are waiting on healing…it’s coming. If you are waiting on rescue from personal or financial struggle, a relationship conflict, or a sense of peace and calm…hold on. The God who gave His only Son to save us from our sins… the same God who makes His Holy Spirit available to dwell in our hearts each and every day… will not keep us waiting forever.
Jesus’ teachings and instructions were a lot for His apostles to absorb in the forty days before his ascension into heaven. The words of the angel to Mary…that she - a virgin - would bear a son who would be the Savior of the world…were incredibly mind boggling. The promise of Eternity in heaven seems almost unfathomable to me. But I know that this promise is true… because I have seen evidence already of God’s faithfulness to keep His promises. And so I wait on the LORD… for His guidance, His direction, and His blessings and His constant care. Won’t you wait with me?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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