Wait Just a Minute (or Two)!

Daily Reading: Acts 1

Scripture Focus: And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me." (Acts 1.4)

Devotional Thought:  Waiting is hard for me.  I pray, then I expect something to happen.  It doesn't always happen that way.  Why is this?

In Acts 1.4, the Lord urged his disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit.  Let's consider three other things we may need to wait for:

• Healing.  God does not heal right away.  Sometimes he doesn't heal at all, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't pray about it. One of the reasons Jesus didn't heal is because of unbelief.  "And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13.58).  Sometimes, Jesus doesn't heal because we need to learn something.  In 2 Corinthians 12.8-9, the Lord answered Paul’s prayer by telling him “My grace is sufficient for you and my power works best in your weakness.”  And sometimes, the Lord waits to heal us when we enter into heaven.

• Needs.  The Bible says, "My God will supply all your needs" (Philippians 4.19).  The fact that we have needs indicates that God has not yet supplied every need.  But he will! Remember, even Abraham - who called God "The Lord my Provider" - had to wait for God to provide the ram.  (See Genesis 22.)

• Salvation.  I really struggle with this one.  I pray, sometimes fast, visit, and call on people.  This is the right way to do things, isn't it?  Why aren't they saved?  I prayed for my husband forty years with seemingly no results.  Then one day, Pastor Cynthia visited him in the hospital and led him to the Lord!  But, it was not just Pastor Cynthia who led him, it was forty years of faithful prayer and waiting.  The Lord knew what he was doing.

Fran Ginn

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, that you are faithful.  Even when we can't see you working, we know that you are.  Help us to wait upon your timing and not to give up praying!  In Jesus' name, amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 66.8-15

8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,

9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.

10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.

11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;

12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,

14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah