By Michael Quinton
WAIT FOR GOD
“Lord, Give me patience”
“And I want it now!”
Have you ever prayed that thought to God? Our society does not favor patience as a virtue. We don’t like waiting in traffic, at the store; it is a world of fast food and instant everything.
What does the Bible say about waiting? Psalm 27:14 Wait upon the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart. Psalm 37:7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Proverbs 20:22 Wait upon the Lord.
In Acts 1:4 it had already been 40 days since the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The apostles and Jesus sat down to eat in Jerusalem. Can you imagine the excitement? “What do you want us to do, Lord?” “Let’s draw up a master plan and hit the road.” “James, you and John get started writing a Mission Statement.” “Matthew, you’re an accountant. Run some numbers and see how much money we need for this campaign.”
But Jesus said, “Wait”. “Wait in Jerusalem” “Wait for the Holy Spirit.”
What purpose would it serve to wait any longer? They had waited 40 days already!
- Waiting rearranges our priorities. He said, “Wait in Jerusalem”. That was the most dangerous place on earth for a follower of Jesus who had been arrested, tried, and executed in Jerusalem. Any place else would be safer. Waiting in Jerusalem forced them to face their fears and focus their enthusiasm. Waiting slows down our schedules and forces us to listen to God.
- To test our faith. Jesus told them what to do: wait. He told them where to do it: Jerusalem. He told them what to wait for: the Holy Spirit. He did not tell them how long to wait. Have you been waiting on God but thinking it is a waste of time? Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the promised son. Remember what happened when they grew impatient and Ishmael was born. Sometimes God has us wait to test our faith.
- Waiting purifies our motives. Little did they know that by waiting for the Holy Spirit, 3,000 people would trust Christ as savior a few days later when Peter preached. Jesus knew that without the power of the Holy Spirit, anything we do is in vain
- To remind us that He is God. When the Israelites wandered the Wilderness for forty years, God instructed them to follow His cloud by day and His pillar of fire by night. Sometimes it moved and sometimes it stayed. There was no explanation from God; just a command to follow. There are times in a Christian’s life when God’s only command is to wait. He does not ask us, “What do you think I should do?”
We serve an on-time God. He is never late. He is never early. He is always on time.
Acts 1:4 Waiting another 10 days was not a waste of time. When we wait for God, no time is lost.
Michael Quinton is Pastor of Mesquite Baptist Church, 742 W. Pioneer Blvd., Suite A.
Sunday worship is at 10:30. They can also be found on Facebook and their website: mesquitebaptistchurch.com
(All messages in the Church Directory are the opinion of the writer, who submits them as a columnist)
