DAY 47 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

SAVED AND BEING SAVED

There is a phrase that I love which is part of my 38-year Presbyterian heritage (1970 – 2008).  The phrase is ‘Saved and being saved.’ Salvation starts with that beginning moment of ‘being saved’ – of accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior!  Salvation was made available by Jesus’ sacrifice – God himself, incarnate – coming to earth in the form of man to pay the price for original Sin and the egregious sins of the world for all of metered time; but the process does not culminate in a one-time decision. Every day we are ‘being saved.’  We have to make a choice to accept the gift each and every day. It isn’t imposed on us. And the gift has a price for us. It means that we die to self and become alive in God – that our life is no longer our own, but that we acknowledge our opportunity to have eternal life was bought with a price. In initially committing to giving up our independence and becoming submitted to the Lord’s will, we begin a journey that continues throughout this lifetime – a journey of becoming more and more like him as he peels away the layers of our ‘self’ and guides us deeper and deeper into his truth. There are specific days when I am poignantly aware of that cleansing work of God’s continual salvation, and I am grateful that it is so. 


I love miracles – but the miracle of a changed life is the greatest miracle of all. Saved and being saved!

DAY 46 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

WAITING FOR PENTECOST – JESUS’ MANY MIRACLES

Reading for today:
John 20:30-31
John 21:25

We just acknowledged Jesus’ ascension back to heaven 6 days ago. In our parallel journey through Lent, to and then beyond the cross, the story is still unfolding. At this point in the disciples’ lives, they are meeting together intentionally in the upper room as they were instructed to do, obediently praying for the promise Jesus left them with in his instructions for what was to come next. “Wait….” They are waiting – which means we are too, as we’re intentionally attempting to follow the day-by-day journey as they experienced it. Right now – all we have recorded is that they were told to wait….

So while we are waiting – it gives me an opportunity to explore some more portions of the Gospel’s messages.  (I suspect the disciples were sharing their memories of messages as encouragement to each other as well during this time.)

His Word tells us everything we need to know – but still, these two references in John intrigue me. After all of the amazing miracles that John recorded, he lets us know near the end of his writing of his testimony that Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples. The most captivating statement is in John 21:25, when he says, “If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” 

That is such a ‘wow’ statement. It intrigues me. All the reports in the gospels of Jesus’ interaction with man during his three whirlwind years of ministry on earth represent only the tip of the iceberg. And, yet, it is enough. These are written so that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in his name. (John 20:31)

I cannot help but reiterate that – we may have life in his name. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. None. 

Right after Luke tells us that Jesus is the one who was the stone the builders rejected – who has become the capstone, he tells us in Acts 4:12: “…Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 


Jesus paid the price. He extends the offer of salvation through His blood – but we have a part to play. We have to reach out and accept the gift. 

The chorus of a song by Don Moen springs to mind:

No other name but the Name of Jesus

No other name but the Name of the Lord

No other name but the Name of Jesus

Is worthy of glory, and worthy of honor

And worthy of power and all praise

DAY 45 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

…AND WAITING

Galatians 5:22-23

The Bible lists the qualities that the Holy Spirit grows in us when we are under His tutelage: 

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Those are nine specific hallmarks that identify Christian behavior. 

Of all of those attributes love and patience are probably the least understood.  The love referred to is not the warm, fuzzy emotional kind of love.  It is a love that demonstrates care in spite of emotion, and reflects the ethic of commitment.  It is doing the right thing whether I feel like it or not.  Love as action – not love as feeling. 

And patience.  We often think patience is just being willing to wait when you want a faster response or resolution – but it is deeper than that.  It is patient forbearance.  It is putting up with.  It is endurance, not giving up.  It is waiting for God’s timing in the weighty matters of life.  It demonstrates our trust and acceptance of His divine plan.   And, like all of the other ‘Fruits’ listed we can’t achieve it without the Holy Spirit’s help. 

I was relieved when I learned that the kind of patience so often assumed was not the same as the patience listed in the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’….  If we assume it is normal ‘patience’ we just set ourselves up for perpetual consternation.  In reality, sometimes that sort of patience is not practical.  There are times when ‘waiting’ is not appropriate, and situations where courteous impatience is warranted.   (However, dealing with whatever the issue is in a positive way and exercising kindness reflects Christian character.)

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter – but also our teacher, and He will lead us into Righteousness in our behaviors if we let Him! 

DAY 44 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

PATIENCE & WAITING

Before I get into my blog for today I want to acknowledge that it is Memorial Day – a day we set aside annually to honor those who have died serving in the various branches of the Armed Services – those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend our country and the values we hold dear.

Freedom is not free. 

In our family line we have relatives who have lost their lives defending our country.  The price of freedom is very personal.  In memorial of those who have died serving, honor to all who have served and gratitude to those who are serving now…thank you! 

………………..

[2010 Blog post that is uncannily appropriate again and instructive to me right now in my life:]

The disciples were getting a graphic lesson on patience.  God didn’t install me with as much patience as I sometimes wish I had. However, when someone tells me they are praying for patience I remind them that’s a dangerous prayer. The way God teaches us any lesson is through opportunities to practice it. 

My lesson in learning that definitively was when God told me ‘we’ were going to work on my gentleness. When he told me that I thought, ‘Great. Now I am going to be like one of those sweet little ladies at church who just ooze gentle, caring love.’ 

Not!

Now – the absolute truth is: I love deeply and sincerely. I care. I have oodles of compassion. Gentleness – I’m still working on it….

God’s chosen method of teaching me gentleness was to throw me into situations where I had to practice it. Situations where I was treated abysmally unfairly – misunderstood, misjudged, maligned – and instead of reacting in ‘human’ nature to defend the assaults I had to learn to absorb them and pray for God to work in each situation. I spoke the truth – then had to let each go . . . even though unresolved. God gave me a promise that he would be my defender. In some cases I am still waiting. It’s his battle – not mine. 

Over and over I get to take to heart my Potato Masher Parable about not getting upset with a frog for being a frog. 

In the process of working on gentleness, which involves responding not reacting, I’ve also learned that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves. People can do some pretty awful things, say some pretty awful things – but we don’t have to be held hostage to their words or actions. When we forgive we release ourselves from being part of their issue. It is incredibly freeing. And – I can only do that through God’s grace. His grace is sufficient. Really, it is! And I have to trust that promise!

It isn’t always easy! Sometimes feelings of resentment for wrongs done against me try to creep in. I have to intentionally and carefully take those thoughts captive and submit them to God’s Word. He promised me that no weapon fashioned against me would stand. I stand on His promises, claiming them because His promises are true – knees shaking, lip quivering, soul determined. I put on my armor listed in Ephesians 6:10-18, and place my life in his hands. I want to trust him more and more. I’m still learning to do that. 


We never arrive at some pinnacle of perfection in this life where nothing ruffles us. But the thing about being an intentional Christian is that we keep learning, keep pressing on, keep growing. His Word is our sword – and our guidebook.

DAY 43 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

STILL WAITING....

The disciples were not told how long the waiting period would be.  We get to see in retrospect that it was 10 days – but they don’t know that.  It is a good reminder that often we have ‘promises’ we have held onto that have not come to pass.  We, too, are waiting – and we don’t know the timeline. 

That applies to the final moments of history as well….  Sometimes I feel like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Prophecy and the current news mesh so closely….   I want to be with the Lord – but I am not looking forward to the process that will bring that to fruition.  It makes me more poignantly aware that Jesus didn’t look forward to the process with joy either.  He was fully God and fully human.  I am just fully human.  It’s okay.  He knows that I am dust. 

We wait expectantly – and with a modicum of uncertainty – just as they did in +-33 A D.

DAY 42 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

WAIT!

I am reminded that in those 10 days of waiting between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost when they no longer had Jesus with them, they didn’t have the coming Holy Spirit’s presence within them either.  The veil had been torn in two at Jesus’ death making direct access to God possible, but without the Holy Spirit affirming, nudging, compelling, they had to rely on memory, faithfulness and hope as their companions. 

We are sooooooo blessed to live now, with complete access to God through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I have walked through periods when I didn’t feel God’s presence and had to just continue putting one foot in front of the other in faithfulness, so I know what that feels like.  God has been very clear in teaching me He wants me to walk by faith not by feeling – but I love when I tangibly feel the Holy Spirit’s presence and do not want to be guilty of taking Him or His presence in my life for granted.   

It is important to recognize that His presence is more than mere emotion.  Emotions can’t be trusted – that’s why Jesus wants us to walk by faith…not by sight, and certainly not by emotions.  Emotions can be wonderful to feel when we are immersed in God’s presence – but emotions can negatively blindside us – and if we live by emotions we are going to be on a constant roller coaster.   The Holy Spirit helps us not let emotion have the last word. 

He truly leads, guides, corrects, cajoles, cautions, admonishes, inspires, energizes, instructs, teaches, encourages, comforts, directs…walks with us.  Works in us, through us, among us, with us. 

Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit, who allows us to have a personal intimate relationship with You. 


Sorry – I almost forgot!  To honor the timeline of parallel time…we are still waiting! 

DAY 41 – WAITING FOR PENTECOST

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Those are words that we pray – Even so, come, Lord Jesus – but always with a twinge of mixed emotion, because all of us have loved ones we want to see come to know the Lord, and when He comes again, our waiting will be over, but so will their opportunity. 

The other reality is that for those of us who live in countries where it is still safe (for the moment) to be a Christian, we have so many blessings that we hold on to the present.  Many times I have said, “I know my destination, but I am in no rush to get there.”  I know heaven will be even better – but I cling to life on earth.  I experience moments that are painful – but hope is not lost….  I experience hurts both inside and outside my Church, but I am not persecuted – yet – for being a Christian.  Many in other countries are experiencing true persecution.  My news feed this morning alerted me to the senseless slaughter of 22 Christians in Egypt – targeted because of their faith.   It hurts to hear of those who are being martyred for their faith.   I believe in something worth dying for – but they just did!   Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

…..

I wonder precisely what it was like to be in the disciples’ sandals the day after Jesus ascended to Heaven.  They had experienced the full gamut of emotions from the ecstasy of Palm Sunday to the agony of Jesus’ death on a criminal’s cross.  From the assurance of confident hope to the devastation of destructive reality.  And then He came back to life on the third day just as He promised.  (A promise you will recall that they didn’t understand because they were so focused on an earthly kingdom.)

Hope swelled once more.  Surely the Messiah would establish His kingdom on earth!  But no, now He was gone – they watched Him rise into the air and be swallowed up in the clouds.  And His last instruction to them was:  Wait!


And so, we wait….