‘The art of waiting’ – an important strategy

Part of being ‘battle-ready’* is to respond to the Spirit. Jesus started teaching about the Holy Spirit in the very beginning of the training of the disciples. Jesus said clearly that the Holy Spirit is the best gift his Father can give:

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:13

When I experienced the Holy Spirit as a real power in my life in 1972, this verse became one of my favourite verses. When I some years later became a father and wanted the best for my children, the verse made an even stronger impact on me. 

The challenge is that God never intrudes into the privacy of his children. We have to ask him to give us the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus taught his disciples. Therefore, it may seem strange that he just before he ascended to heaven, said:

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.”
Acts 1:4

However, this is only strange if I regard the ‘art of waiting’ as a passive strategy. I can hardly imagine anything more active than children who at Christmas are waiting for the moment when the presents are to be unwrapped. Waiting in the Bible is more related to expecting, simply because I am waiting for something to come true in my life. In the narrative about the Baptist, Luke wrote that “the people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah” – Luke 3:15.

God has left it to my initiative to receive the Holy Spirit. The strategy is to pray and wait ‘expectantly’ – after all God has already done his part through the pouring out of his Spirit.

‘Manna’ for today:

I expect The holy spirit to speak and lead - now!

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* General Peddle’s call:

 'I believe we need to be ready for what God wants to do with us and through us. This is a call to prayer, a call to holiness and a call to be "battle-ready" now. There is an urgency to this call that cannot be ignored. Men, women and children need Jesus.'
NB - this reflection is linked to General Brian Peddle's "Call to Mission - NOW"