Even after his resurrection, Jesus’ disciples still believe that his mission is about politics – about setting the nation of Israel back in its rightful place – back on top, back in the position of power. How many times had they missed the point when Jesus not only demonstrated, but outright claimed, that the kingdom of God is nothing like the kingdoms of this world?
In God’s kingdom, the first are last, the dishonorable are seated in the places of honor, room is made for the outcast, and the ignored are known by name. The hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, and the foreigner is welcomed. Jesus knows that there is no way humankind could ever conceive or enact it on their own, and so he promises the Holy Spirit, which will enlighten, inspire, and compel them to extend the Good News to Jerusalem and beyond. And so they wait and pray.
This will require a deep dive into your heart, but what expectations do you have of Jesus that might be off-the-mark compared to what he taught and what his life, death, and resurrection showed? How can waiting and praying make it easier to see God’s call on your own life and God’s redemptive work in the world around you?
Think about the ways our world stands in contrast to God’s kingdom and lift those disparities to God in prayer.