Just because the disciples could no longer see Jesus, it is clear they didn’t believe he was gone. Instead of going home despondent and defeated, they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem filled with joy and waited with anticipation for what God might do next. Sometimes when we see the end of something – a job, a ministry, a relationship, an organization, a life – we focus on sadness and loss. We resist the inevitability of change. We become nostalgic and long for things to return to the way they once were.
But this part of Jesus’ story tells us that he had big plans for the gospel message – plans that would extend far beyond the walls of Jerusalem and far beyond the experience of this handful of followers. Part of these plans included waiting. The disciples had no idea how long they were to wait or when this power from on high would come over them, but they were committed to praising God in the meantime.
How practiced are you at waiting? When things don’t seem to be happening quickly enough for you, what is your default response? Impatience, discouragement, or joyful praise? How can a time of waiting – of anticipation – of hopeful expectation – become a gift?
In prayer, bless God for the lessons that come with having to wait.