Waiting in Faith
January 30, 2019
January 30, 2019
Read: Acts 1:1-11
Why do you stand looking into heaven? (v. 11)
When I was a kid I loved Christmas but I was horrible at waiting for presents. I would get as close as I was allowed (no touching!) to the gifts under the tree, examining them from every angle, only to retreat back to the couch and flop myself down. No matter what my mother asked me to do, help her bake cookies, decorate the house, or prepare for guests to arrive, I only had eyes for one thing.
In today’s scripture, the disciples have just witnessed one of the most memorable and amazing things ever: Jesus’ ascension into heaven. They linger in the moment, both to savor it and because they aren’t sure what’s going to happen next. There is a bit of humor imagining them stealing glances at each other while staring up at the sky, blinking into the sun. Then two men in white robes join them and essentially ask, “Hey guys! What are we looking at here?”
Waiting is part of life. Yet a Christian theology of waiting is not passive, fatalistic, or hopeless— it’s not about staring at the sun. Instead, waiting let us approach God, speak our petitions, remember the promises God has already fulfilled, and look with eager expectation, no matter how long, Christ will return. As we wait, there’s work to do. Not just, like a kid with an unopened present, selfishly obsess over what we will get, but rather to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the entire world. —Adam Navis
As you pray, ask God for an opportunity to share the Good News with just one person.
No comments:
Post a Comment