| Wait! - article by Joel Hempel Last Thursday, the church celebrated the Ascension of Jesus. Before our Lord returned to his Father’s side, [Jesus] ordered [his apostles] not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father . . . You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you (Acts 1:4,8). Wait! Our Lord’s Wait! given to the apostles then and to us now is not your average command to wait. It would be ten days before Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. However, the promise and hope embedded within Jesus’s direction to wait began when his order was given. The disciples were to wait, but they were to wait with anticipation, with expectancy. When Jesus tells us to wait, the order is given with a promise. We are to wait with hope and the certainty of our Lord’s faithfulness. We are admonished not to get ahead of ourselves. And for sure, don’t try to get ahead of God. Trust his timing. As I prepare this devotional article, I want to jump to Pentecost and write about the gift of the Holy Spirit. But the message is: Wait! It’s not time. What are you dealing with that requires waiting? The right job? For a relationship to mend? For a change in circumstance? For pain to be relieved? For the next life to come? God’s message to us: Wait upon the Lord. His timing is right for us. But don’t be idle in your waiting: Pray! Anticipate! Trust. And let his promise grow within you. As much as you are able, feel the hope. That feeling, that anticipation, is part of God’s gift to us. It is the gift of strength and peace. You say waiting is not your strong suit? I empathize. I have a timepiece on my wrist, on the wall, and in my head. I know when things should get done. Like it or not, God does not consult with our concept of the right time. Second only to faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior is trusting his Word so that we can follow his Will. Trusting and walking in faith is necessary for the Holy Spirit to create within us lasting peace and God-inspired joy – both for our comfort and our witness to others. Wait! Yes! But we don’t wait aimlessly. We wait by faith, anticipating what is to come. If I had the power, we would already be free of whatever needs to release us. We would have what we think we need – immediately! But I don’t have God’s wisdom or sense of time. Since none of us do, we thank God for the faith to embrace what’s now – and wait! | 
