Patient Waiting
It is not for you to know the times . . . the Father has set by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come. —Acts 1:7-8
READ: Acts 1:1-11
REFLECT: Waiting is not something that comes easily to me. It seems like forever when I am praying and waiting. I wonder if God knows how hard it is to wait.
We spend a lot of time waiting in life. We wait for the right job. We wait to get married. We wait for our children to be born and then for them to leave home. We wait for healing. We wait for someone we love to follow God.
The disciples, too, know all about waiting. As Jesus prepares to leave them, they ask, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom?” Jesus replies, “It is not for you to know the times or periods. . . . But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” After Jesus is taken up into heaven, they feel very alone, and they wait some more for the Spirit to come.
We, too, wait for God’s ways to unfold in our life. I have learned that God’s timing is not the same as mine. The Message translation says it this way: “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit.”
I’ve discovered that waiting upon God builds strength of character. When I wait, I give up control and I let “God be God.” God’s timing is God’s business. God’s Spirit is with me as I wait and assures me that all will be well.
When we wait upon God, we will not be disappointed. God knows the bigger picture.
—Sandi Hannigan Marr
RESPOND: All-knowing God, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, who is with us. Give us patience as we wait for your timing.