What comes to your mind when you read or hear the word "Power"?
Electricity? An avalanche? A flash flood? A charging bull or rhinoceros?
Allow me to read to you a brief description of real power! It is taken from Revelation chapters 4 and 5
"...a throne was standing in heaven and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting on the throne was like jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance....and from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder...And the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and will cast their crowns before the throne saying, "worthy art Thou our Lord and our God to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou didst create all things and because of Thy will they existed and were created".
"And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" An no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was found to be worthy to open the book or to look into it.
And I saw between the throne and the elders a Lamb standing as if slain...and He came and He took it out of the hand of Him who sat upon the throne. And when He had take the book the...twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb...and they sang a new song saying, "Worthy art Thou to take the book and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain and didst purchase for God with thy blood men form every tribe and tongue and nation."...
And I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders... saying "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and honor and glory and blessing..."
This is the one and same Lamb that told us to:
"Ask for anything in MY name" John 12:13
And
"Ask the Father for anything in My name" John 16:23-26
Apparently it was very clear to the Apostles where the power resided. We read of one example in the Book of Acts chapter 3
Now Peter and John were gong up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer.
And a certain man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate to the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those were entering the temple.
And when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms.
And Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze upon him and said, " Look at us!" And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, "I do not posses silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!"
And seizing him by the right hand he raised him up..and with a leap he stood upright...
Peter said, "what I do have I give to you". What was it that Peter had? Certainly He didn't have the power to make the man walk. The scripture doesn't indicate that Peter imparted any part of faith or hope. It seems that the only thing that Peter had was the very same thing that we have available to us: The POWER that is placed in the name of Jesus!
Scripture tells it that it is at the name of Jesus that every knee in heaven and earth will bow and tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God. (Philippians 2:10)
Spend some moments with God asking Him to show you, convince you, make real to you the immense Power the resides in the name of Jesus!
There is no name under heaven by which we may be saved!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
War
War -
So many different thoughts come with the mention of the word. Political, patriotic, fearful, questioning, uncertainty, grief, pride...
For a moment, I would like for you to consider the state of war as a symptom not just an event.
Earlier this week while reading an article I came across a thought that I would like to share with you. The point of the article is unimportant. The extreme importance is the thought that was presented by the following statement:
'If people live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war, and such a war as is of every man against every man...' in that state there will be 'continued fear and danger of violent death and the life of a man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short'". Forbes, American Idealism and Realpolitik, March 12, 2007
So, let me ask you...when was the last time that you felt a sense of awe?
Perhaps the easier question is: are you at war?
Are you at war with your job, with your neighbors, your family, your weight, your circumstances or your priorities?
Clearly we can see the results of a society that has lost its sense of awe.
Long past gone is a sense of awe about an Almighty Benevolent God. Also past, is a sense of awe over living in the greatest nation that has ever existed. We have become so inoculated toward anything and everything that could possibly bring a sense of awe.
There is a fear of being seen as immature or simple if we dare to see things out of the ordinary.
The results are everywhere evident The "brutish" ,the "fearful", the "solitariness" and separateness of lives. anger and suspicion are common.
Little is there that can be done about this issue in our society until we address the issue within our own hearts. That is why the earlier question asks about the war in your heart; the "brutish", the fearful, the solitariness, the anger, the suspicion.
So, have lost (or have you ever had) a realization of the awe of our Glorious, All-Powerful, beyond description God?
We will never have the proper perspective on life; we will never have the proper understanding on the power of prayer until we develop a sense of awe over the God who invites us to talk to him about the hurts, the needs, and the wants of ours and of our friends.
I implore you to beg God to show you his awesomeness! It won't be a brief encounter, Cliff Notes are not available.
Whatever it costs you the price will be minuscule in terms of what you receive in exchange.
So many different thoughts come with the mention of the word. Political, patriotic, fearful, questioning, uncertainty, grief, pride...
For a moment, I would like for you to consider the state of war as a symptom not just an event.
Earlier this week while reading an article I came across a thought that I would like to share with you. The point of the article is unimportant. The extreme importance is the thought that was presented by the following statement:
'If people live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war, and such a war as is of every man against every man...' in that state there will be 'continued fear and danger of violent death and the life of a man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short'". Forbes, American Idealism and Realpolitik, March 12, 2007
So, let me ask you...when was the last time that you felt a sense of awe?
Perhaps the easier question is: are you at war?
Are you at war with your job, with your neighbors, your family, your weight, your circumstances or your priorities?
Clearly we can see the results of a society that has lost its sense of awe.
Long past gone is a sense of awe about an Almighty Benevolent God. Also past, is a sense of awe over living in the greatest nation that has ever existed. We have become so inoculated toward anything and everything that could possibly bring a sense of awe.
There is a fear of being seen as immature or simple if we dare to see things out of the ordinary.
The results are everywhere evident The "brutish" ,the "fearful", the "solitariness" and separateness of lives. anger and suspicion are common.
Little is there that can be done about this issue in our society until we address the issue within our own hearts. That is why the earlier question asks about the war in your heart; the "brutish", the fearful, the solitariness, the anger, the suspicion.
So, have lost (or have you ever had) a realization of the awe of our Glorious, All-Powerful, beyond description God?
We will never have the proper perspective on life; we will never have the proper understanding on the power of prayer until we develop a sense of awe over the God who invites us to talk to him about the hurts, the needs, and the wants of ours and of our friends.
I implore you to beg God to show you his awesomeness! It won't be a brief encounter, Cliff Notes are not available.
Whatever it costs you the price will be minuscule in terms of what you receive in exchange.
Monday, October 12, 2009
THE EDGE IS THE CENTER!
You shall make no other gods before Me. Exodus 20:3
How is it possible to walk on the edge and still be in the middle? It isn't easy unless you see it the way our God sees it. The edge of our comfort zone is the exact center of God's will.
Romans 1:17 says "The righteous man shall live by faith".
We have exchanged the desire to live God's way for our comfort. We far prefer to be secure and unembarrassed than to live on the "lighted path". "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" Psalm 119:105
If we in fact have chosen our comfort, security and pride over knowing God in a personal way have we not chosen another god? You see we can not possible KNOW the truth of the Bible until we put it into action! Striving after anything over God's heart for the lost is idolatry, nothing short.
So where does that leave us? Frustrated at our work, or lack of personal time or accomplishments, or with our kids or our wife. Being unsettled; lacking deep peace is a spiritual indication that something is out of alignment!
"Mother" Theresa said, "we will never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all we have".
This applies to this issue because EVERYONE seems to think that "I don't know enough about scripture" to witness or "no one I know would be interested" and “I wouldn't do a very good job and might mess it up". Sound at all familiar?
Jesus said, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” John 14:26
Do we believe that? NO! Let me ask again, do we really believe that?
There is a quantitative difference between the belief that we commonly think of and the belief of the Bible. I have used this story to display the difference:
"If I were to place a rickety old chair in the middle of the room and ask you if you believe that it will hold you when you sit on it, it would be very easy to say “yes”. If on the other hand, I asked you to sit on the chair we would quickly discover whether or not you truly believed that it would hold you!"
So do you truly believe Jesus when he says, that the Holy Spirit will give you everything you need when you need it? We will never know that Jesus is enough; until Jesus is all we have. Dare to walk on the edge of your comfort zone. That is where true life is located. “…I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10
Jesus gives us both side of the picture in a very familiar scripture. I encourage you to not walk past this too fast because of the familiarity. Consider what the Master says: “Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose I; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it”. Matthew 16:25-26
Choose life!
How is it possible to walk on the edge and still be in the middle? It isn't easy unless you see it the way our God sees it. The edge of our comfort zone is the exact center of God's will.
Romans 1:17 says "The righteous man shall live by faith".
We have exchanged the desire to live God's way for our comfort. We far prefer to be secure and unembarrassed than to live on the "lighted path". "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" Psalm 119:105
If we in fact have chosen our comfort, security and pride over knowing God in a personal way have we not chosen another god? You see we can not possible KNOW the truth of the Bible until we put it into action! Striving after anything over God's heart for the lost is idolatry, nothing short.
So where does that leave us? Frustrated at our work, or lack of personal time or accomplishments, or with our kids or our wife. Being unsettled; lacking deep peace is a spiritual indication that something is out of alignment!
"Mother" Theresa said, "we will never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all we have".
This applies to this issue because EVERYONE seems to think that "I don't know enough about scripture" to witness or "no one I know would be interested" and “I wouldn't do a very good job and might mess it up". Sound at all familiar?
Jesus said, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” John 14:26
Do we believe that? NO! Let me ask again, do we really believe that?
There is a quantitative difference between the belief that we commonly think of and the belief of the Bible. I have used this story to display the difference:
"If I were to place a rickety old chair in the middle of the room and ask you if you believe that it will hold you when you sit on it, it would be very easy to say “yes”. If on the other hand, I asked you to sit on the chair we would quickly discover whether or not you truly believed that it would hold you!"
So do you truly believe Jesus when he says, that the Holy Spirit will give you everything you need when you need it? We will never know that Jesus is enough; until Jesus is all we have. Dare to walk on the edge of your comfort zone. That is where true life is located. “…I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10
Jesus gives us both side of the picture in a very familiar scripture. I encourage you to not walk past this too fast because of the familiarity. Consider what the Master says: “Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose I; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it”. Matthew 16:25-26
Choose life!
Monday, October 5, 2009
You Are Not Your Own
Purpose; there is a reason that you are here! You are not an accident; you are not here by chance; however you are not your own.
…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price… I Corinthians 6:19-20
Most of us continue to live as if we belonged to no one. Sure there is some responsibility to our families and to our employers but outside of that we think we are in control.
Sadly mistaken is this view. We are free to continue to wander through our own “wildernesses” thinking we are getting somewhere when we are only walking around in circles. The day rapidly approaches each of us when we will look up and discover all that we have been living for is a mirage!
God never intended this to be the case.
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book they were written, the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:16
Before you were born, God had His eyes on you. You are His delight:
As for the saints, who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all My delight! Psalm 16:3
You delight God’s heart. There is nothing more that you need to do to be delightful in God’s eyes. You are His and He chooses to sing over you. (Song of Solomon). That is how He sees you!
How do you see yourself? You have been bought with a price; have you sold yourself to the highest bidder? Do you work for a wage or do you minister to Him and see the reward for your work as a gift from His hand?
For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the Lord; therefore they have not prospered and all of their flock is scattered. Jeremiah10:21
The folly of our pursuits leads only to scattered flocks and empty lives.
I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23
From the beginning God had a different idea for you: “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for blessing and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you, and you will seek Me and find Me when you will seek Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:11-14
May I suggest that you might like to consider bending toward His desires for you? For too long we have been “stupid” shepherds and our flock is scattered. The height of foolishness is to continue doing the same things while expecting different results. If you don’t like what you have been getting, try doing it His way!
Do you have a purpose or do you just exist day to day?
…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price… I Corinthians 6:19-20
Most of us continue to live as if we belonged to no one. Sure there is some responsibility to our families and to our employers but outside of that we think we are in control.
Sadly mistaken is this view. We are free to continue to wander through our own “wildernesses” thinking we are getting somewhere when we are only walking around in circles. The day rapidly approaches each of us when we will look up and discover all that we have been living for is a mirage!
God never intended this to be the case.
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book they were written, the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:16
Before you were born, God had His eyes on you. You are His delight:
As for the saints, who are in the earth, they are the majestic ones in whom is all My delight! Psalm 16:3
You delight God’s heart. There is nothing more that you need to do to be delightful in God’s eyes. You are His and He chooses to sing over you. (Song of Solomon). That is how He sees you!
How do you see yourself? You have been bought with a price; have you sold yourself to the highest bidder? Do you work for a wage or do you minister to Him and see the reward for your work as a gift from His hand?
For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the Lord; therefore they have not prospered and all of their flock is scattered. Jeremiah10:21
The folly of our pursuits leads only to scattered flocks and empty lives.
I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23
From the beginning God had a different idea for you: “For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for blessing and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you, and you will seek Me and find Me when you will seek Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:11-14
May I suggest that you might like to consider bending toward His desires for you? For too long we have been “stupid” shepherds and our flock is scattered. The height of foolishness is to continue doing the same things while expecting different results. If you don’t like what you have been getting, try doing it His way!
Do you have a purpose or do you just exist day to day?
Monday, September 28, 2009
Worship in Truth
Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus answered him, Because you have seen you believe? Blessed are they who do not see and yet believe.
John 20:28&29
Believing is a difficult thing to explain isn’t it? Come to think about it, it’s a bit difficult to personally understand as well. It’s kind of like being “all grown up”. Kids can hardly wait for the day when they are grown up until one day they are there and can’t understand where all the time has gone.
Likewise, belief is something we can often see in others but, at times, feel woefully inadequate in our own lives.
This makes a life of faith challenging. A joyful life requires faith!
So how do we go about increasing our faith?
We have all read the books or seen the movies wherein hope is slipping away and despair is growing by the moment. The horizon has been repeatedly scanned for possible escape; any help! Suddenly, miraculously over the distant hill we see the cavalry, the townspeople, the lone stranger, the long lost love… Hope turns to unfettered joy as desperate hopelessness turns to victory!
The Psalmist might have had an initial similar expectation as he begins his thoughts (Psalm 121)
I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come?
He continues:
My help comes from the Lord who made the heaven and the earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps [you] will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever!
So how do we increase our faith?
Worship is the key!
Let me hasten to point out that we too often have the view that worship is music or singing. While music and singing are often present at worship and sometimes vehicles of worship, it can as easily be an escape from true worship!
In a discussion with a woman who attempted to deflect confrontation about her private life Jesus said, “…true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth” John 4:23&24
“Worship in truth”…what, if you were sincerely honest would you really say to God?
Until we are willing to deal with truth we will never enter into the truth of worship. The Psalms are great examples of honesty. (For example, read Psalm 10 looking for the truth and for the turn around in faith.) It is only due to the courage of the psalmist in laying his heart bare before the God who knows him better than he know himself that his perspective begins to change.
Once we experience the deep release of truth with God we will be set free to worship!
true worshipers shall worship the Father (John 5:23) in spirit and truth!
It is within this type of worship that we find the boldness to live a life of faith!
Jesus answered him, Because you have seen you believe? Blessed are they who do not see and yet believe.
John 20:28&29
Believing is a difficult thing to explain isn’t it? Come to think about it, it’s a bit difficult to personally understand as well. It’s kind of like being “all grown up”. Kids can hardly wait for the day when they are grown up until one day they are there and can’t understand where all the time has gone.
Likewise, belief is something we can often see in others but, at times, feel woefully inadequate in our own lives.
This makes a life of faith challenging. A joyful life requires faith!
So how do we go about increasing our faith?
We have all read the books or seen the movies wherein hope is slipping away and despair is growing by the moment. The horizon has been repeatedly scanned for possible escape; any help! Suddenly, miraculously over the distant hill we see the cavalry, the townspeople, the lone stranger, the long lost love… Hope turns to unfettered joy as desperate hopelessness turns to victory!
The Psalmist might have had an initial similar expectation as he begins his thoughts (Psalm 121)
I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come?
He continues:
My help comes from the Lord who made the heaven and the earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps [you] will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever!
So how do we increase our faith?
Worship is the key!
Let me hasten to point out that we too often have the view that worship is music or singing. While music and singing are often present at worship and sometimes vehicles of worship, it can as easily be an escape from true worship!
In a discussion with a woman who attempted to deflect confrontation about her private life Jesus said, “…true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth” John 4:23&24
“Worship in truth”…what, if you were sincerely honest would you really say to God?
Until we are willing to deal with truth we will never enter into the truth of worship. The Psalms are great examples of honesty. (For example, read Psalm 10 looking for the truth and for the turn around in faith.) It is only due to the courage of the psalmist in laying his heart bare before the God who knows him better than he know himself that his perspective begins to change.
Once we experience the deep release of truth with God we will be set free to worship!
true worshipers shall worship the Father (John 5:23) in spirit and truth!
It is within this type of worship that we find the boldness to live a life of faith!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Vacation
Life is so ______________. (fill in the blank)
hard
busy
noisy
short
_______ (choose your own word)
We have the best of intentions to pray, to spend time with Jesus, to prioritize our lives but, and this is a big BUT, _______________________ (see above).
Vacations have been dreamed up by those who understand that life is __________! A change of place, a change of activities, and change of schedules, vacations are all about changing from the things you continually do toward things you don’t normally do.
Most people look forward to vacations with great expectations and eager anticipation.
There is a type of vacation in the realm of prayer as well. As is the case with the other vacation, it is all about change.
We enter the story with a group of people desiring to take a prayer vacation. …on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside where we were supposing there would be a place of prayer…Acts 16:13
Explore a new opportunity. Find someone who you could invite to go to a food court, a park, a mall, a street corner, a school yard or somewhere else unusual to pray. You will experience a new vibrancy and life to your prayers. There is certainly nothing wrong with doing this by yourself but, as with the other vacation, it is much more enriching when you take someone along.
hard
busy
noisy
short
_______ (choose your own word)
We have the best of intentions to pray, to spend time with Jesus, to prioritize our lives but, and this is a big BUT, _______________________ (see above).
Vacations have been dreamed up by those who understand that life is __________! A change of place, a change of activities, and change of schedules, vacations are all about changing from the things you continually do toward things you don’t normally do.
Most people look forward to vacations with great expectations and eager anticipation.
There is a type of vacation in the realm of prayer as well. As is the case with the other vacation, it is all about change.
We enter the story with a group of people desiring to take a prayer vacation. …on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside where we were supposing there would be a place of prayer…Acts 16:13
Explore a new opportunity. Find someone who you could invite to go to a food court, a park, a mall, a street corner, a school yard or somewhere else unusual to pray. You will experience a new vibrancy and life to your prayers. There is certainly nothing wrong with doing this by yourself but, as with the other vacation, it is much more enriching when you take someone along.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Waiting is Grating
Waiting has become a national irritation; perhaps it is one of yours as well.
Lines in banks or in stores, late friends or family members, sitting in the “waiting” room too long past the appointment time, spouse issues too many to mention; waiting grates and pushes against our sense of what is “right”.
Waiting is a BIG thing for our God as well. The meaningful difference between how we tend to see waiting from how God sees waiting is that He sees waiting as a good thing. No, not that waiting itself is a good thing, but that waiting indicates a good thing.
Just moments before He left His friends, Jesus told them to wait:
And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait…
Not that waiting is tough enough by itself but Jesus asked His friends to wait around in the very city where He was horribly treated and crucified just days before. The religious and political rancor was at extreme high; the danger was palpable!
…wait for what the Father had promised. “Which.” He said, “you heard from Me; for John baptized you with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now”.
So that which “the Father” had promised was going to be delivered but there was evidently a prerequisite to the receipt of the gift. Clearly, the Father could have delivered the promised gift in any manner He chose. For some reason He chose to deliver it to those who “waited”.
There is a scripture that is probably very familiar to us; familiar to our minds perhaps but far too unfamiliar in practice.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired and vigorous young men stumble and badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:29-31
Once again waiting seems to be the path to the promised benefits. Waiting is the ultimate illustration of our faith!
The psalmist knew this depth of this display of faith:
To Thee I lift up my eyes, O Thou who art enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master. As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to the Lord our God until He shall be gracious to us! Psalm 123:1-2
Before ending this discussion it is important to address two levels of waiting. The first is waiting for some specific relief, a specific blessing or a special need. The second is where we begin to touch the essence of the inscrutable God, the presence of waiting for whatever He has in mind for us.
Waiting takes time. Time is the only thing that we have that once spent cannot be replaced. It is the greatest, most personal thing that we can offer.
When Thou didst awesome things which we did not expect, Thou didst come down, the mountains quaked at Thy presence.
For from of old they have not heard not perceived by ear, neither has eye seen a God besides Thee Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Isaiah 64:3&4
Lines in banks or in stores, late friends or family members, sitting in the “waiting” room too long past the appointment time, spouse issues too many to mention; waiting grates and pushes against our sense of what is “right”.
Waiting is a BIG thing for our God as well. The meaningful difference between how we tend to see waiting from how God sees waiting is that He sees waiting as a good thing. No, not that waiting itself is a good thing, but that waiting indicates a good thing.
Just moments before He left His friends, Jesus told them to wait:
And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait…
Not that waiting is tough enough by itself but Jesus asked His friends to wait around in the very city where He was horribly treated and crucified just days before. The religious and political rancor was at extreme high; the danger was palpable!
…wait for what the Father had promised. “Which.” He said, “you heard from Me; for John baptized you with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now”.
So that which “the Father” had promised was going to be delivered but there was evidently a prerequisite to the receipt of the gift. Clearly, the Father could have delivered the promised gift in any manner He chose. For some reason He chose to deliver it to those who “waited”.
There is a scripture that is probably very familiar to us; familiar to our minds perhaps but far too unfamiliar in practice.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired and vigorous young men stumble and badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:29-31
Once again waiting seems to be the path to the promised benefits. Waiting is the ultimate illustration of our faith!
The psalmist knew this depth of this display of faith:
To Thee I lift up my eyes, O Thou who art enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master. As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to the Lord our God until He shall be gracious to us! Psalm 123:1-2
Before ending this discussion it is important to address two levels of waiting. The first is waiting for some specific relief, a specific blessing or a special need. The second is where we begin to touch the essence of the inscrutable God, the presence of waiting for whatever He has in mind for us.
Waiting takes time. Time is the only thing that we have that once spent cannot be replaced. It is the greatest, most personal thing that we can offer.
When Thou didst awesome things which we did not expect, Thou didst come down, the mountains quaked at Thy presence.
For from of old they have not heard not perceived by ear, neither has eye seen a God besides Thee Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Isaiah 64:3&4
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