Sunday, May 6, 2012

May 6 (Acts 1:4)

Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  (NIV)

I never have to wait for anything.  In any moment when I could be waiting, I have a world of other options in my pocket thanks to my smart phone.  I can play games, check emails, update Facebook, send a tweet, see the latest headlines, get scores and updates for my favorite teams, or read just about any book ever published.  Hey, it sure beats circling the parking lot while my wife grabs something at the grocery store!

Then again, what are we missing when we fill every seemingly empty moment with activity.  I say that these moments are seemingly empty, for if we listened to the words of Jesus, they just might be filled with more than we can imagine.  They might be filled with God Himself.  Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to His disciples, but commanded them to wait for Him.  How do you suppose they waited?  Did they bury their noses in scrolls, checking the results of the latest chariot race?

Can you remember what it was like as a child to wait for your birthday or Christmas?  You could think of nothing else.  You counted the days and then the hours.  It was all you talked about.  Your eyes were firmly fixed on the anticipated event.  This is the kind of waiting Jesus asks of His followers.  It is why God promised in Jeremiah 29:13 that if we seek Him and search for Him with all our hearts, we will find Him.

Lord, I want You and nothing else.  I want to seek You and not be distracted by lesser things.  Draw me closer to You, o God.  I am here, and I am waiting.  In the name of Jesus my Savior and by the power of the Holy Spirit I pray, amen.

Copyright © 2012 by Steven R. Perkins

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