Scripture. Luke 24:48-49
48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Do you like to wait? Probably not! No one likes to wait in line, or at the doctor’s office, or be be put “on hold” on the telephone. Waiting is more than just boring. It makes you feel helpless, and even worse, unimportant.
But, there is a kind of waiting that is important to practice. That kind of waiting is the one commanded in the Bible. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14
No matter how confident we may feel in ourselves, or how much we are struggling with impatient urges, the Lord is the only one who can sustain us in our faith and life. We must wait for the Lord.
Waiting in faith places proper respect in our hearts and minds for the role of God in directing our steps in life. Waiting in faith acknowledges that God is working out His will in His own good time. Waiting in faith is trusting that God has a role in the present situation we face. Waiting in faith is trusting in God’s love.
The disciples were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus was sending them to share the Gospel with all the world. There has never been, nor will there ever be, better news for the world. Through Jesus death on the cross, God intends to forgive the sins of all who trust in Him.
Through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, eternal life is ours through faith. The disciples had experienced the personal and tangible evidence of Jesus’ life and resurrection. They were ready and anxious to share the good news. But, just being ready and fired up isn’t nearly enough.
Only God can accomplish God’s works. The disciples had to wait, and at the right time God the Holy Spirit would enter them in power to fulfill God’s will for their ministry.
If God worked with His disciples through waiting, what about us? Is there something in waiting for us as well? We will most certainly face waiting in many ways. And since we know that the Lord is directing our lives, we can also be certain that we are not waiting for nothing. God is hearing our prayers, working out His Will for us, and preparing us to meet life in His strength through faith.
Rather than feeling devalued or helpless, faithful waiting reminds us of the Lord, His Love, and the example of the saints in the Bible who waited on the Lord. As it is written, “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Let us pray
I thank you Lord for hearing me when I pray to you and allowing me the gift of faithful waiting. Be with all people who are struggling in sorrow, or illness, or trouble, or anxiety. Help us all to trust in your unfailing love in Jesus and to wait in faith for your answer to our prayers. In your name I pray. Amen