Waiting On God

January 5

(Acts 1:4-5 NIV) "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, which you have heard me speak about. {5} For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.""

(Psalm 27:14 NIV) "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

(Psalm 37:7 NIV) "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;"

(Psalm 46:10 NIV) "Be still, and know that I am God;"

(Isaiah 40:31 ESV) “… they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Even though it was dangerous, the risen Christ told His disciples to stay put and remain in Jerusalem. That may be good advice today, as we struggle with commitment and contentment. Fickle spirits contaminate the church, and we end up changing churches as often as we change our socks. There are various excuses. “I’m not being fed… I don’t feel the Spirit… They aren’t friendly enough… Somebody ticked me off.” But usually, the real reasons go deeper. Maybe we were confronted with a hard truth, or called to change a behavior. Perhaps we were asked to contribute, or maybe we just didn’t get our way -- and so we bail. But before we change churches, we should consider changing our hearts. Moving around is not necessarily moving up. If we leave Jerusalem before it’s time, we may miss what God has for us. There may be exceptions, but consider staying put for now. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day