Read Acts 1:1-14

No doubt the disciples would gladly have gone forth at once to begin the work of preaching and saving men. It would seem, too, as if they were prepared to go, for they had been in training with Christ for three years. Now that He was risen and ascended to heaven, why should they wait longer? We think of them as eager to begin their work. But they were not yet ready. We lean that waiting sometimes is out first duty. It is easier to be active than to wait, but sometimes everything depends upon our ability to be patient and not to move. When Christ wants us to wait, though it may seem to be a waste of time, we can always serve Him best by simply waiting. Indeed we can serve Him then in no other way. Many a good life is marred and its usefulness wrecked by impatience; it is the patient man to whom blessings come.

A story is told of a Christian woman who had been active for many years, busy in ministries for Christ, who at last was laid aside in wasting consumption. Yet she was as quiet in her waiting as ever she had been in her most active years. One day her pastor said to her: “I cannot understand your quietness and peace these days. In former times, when you were well, you were ever going somewhere on some ministry of love, and were never still a moment. But now you seem to be as contented and restful here in your bed, when you can do nothing, as ever you were in your busy days.” She replied: “When I was well, I used to hear Jesus say, continually, ‘Go and do this or that,’ and I always went quickly and obeyed Him. But now I hear Jesus say each hour, ‘Lie here and cough,’ and I know that it is His will for me, and I do it as sweetly as I can.” She had caught the secret of the restful life.

The waiting was not idle-there was a purpose in it. There was a promise of divine power. “Wait for the promise.” They were not yet ready to go out to work; they were not prepared to preach Christ’s gospel until they had received the divine gift. There is a good lesson here for very many of us. Ofttimes we are in too much of a hurry to get to active work. We do not think of preparation for it.

Used with permission by: The JR Miller Archive
Article Source: devotional-hours.jr-miller.com/vol-8/1-christs-ascension-2.html

Hayden Andrews