May 18 I Thursday

1 Chronicles 4-6

John 6:1-21

“On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…’”   —Acts 1:4

Most of us have seen children impatiently waiting for something. I remember seeing a family in line for snacks at the movies. The son was obviously bored. All he wanted were the snacks and the movie. His foot was tapping, and you could see him trying to look innocent as he slowly reached towards the candy bags on the bottom shelf of the concession stand.

       Spiritually, we can sometimes be like this impatient child. In a fast-paced world of often instant gratification, the idea that God would want us to wait may seem foreign, especially if we must wait in a difficult or seemingly unsafe situation. We want to do what God wants, and we may even be exactly where He wants us right now, but without realizing it, we can start to get impatient and look for ways to speed up God’s will.

       The Bible is filled with examples of people who had to wait for God’s timing. Abraham and Sarah had to wait 25 years for their promised son, Isaac, to be born. Moses had to wait 40 years before leading the nation of Israel out of Egyptian captivity. David had to wait about 15 years between being anointed by Samuel as Israel’s next king and taking his rightful place on the throne. Even Jesus had to wait 30 years before God’s appointed time to start His ministry.

       There is a biblical precedent behind Jesus’s command to His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were hoping Jesus would establish His kingdom while they were with Him so they could be immediate beneficiaries in a position of power. They were constantly asking Jesus if this was the time, but they would soon realize the kingdom of God is not political in nature, nor is it a geographic location, but a kingdom set up in the hearts of His people all over the world by the inception of the Holy Spirit.

       Our faith in God is often tested in the waiting periods. It is one of the most difficult times because we can easily slip into cruise control and become complacent in our relationship with God. Others may lean on their own abilities and strategies in a God-given task and take it on without Him. Times of waiting and not knowing are meant to foster our dependence on God and deepen our trust in Him. We should always be ready to move, but only in God’s timing. He is the orchestrator and will be the One to open the right doors at the right time so that He may accomplish through us His perfectly timed work.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant me the patience to wait for Your timing in fulfilling Your will and purpose for me. I trust You entirely and await the movement of Your Spirit. Thank You, God.