In The Waiting

By Tosin Lawal

Devotional Reading: On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. Acts 1:4

Jesus commanded his disciples not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the father’s promise, i.e., the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The instruction was to wait. While they were waiting, they prayed continually, implying that praying is a part of waiting on the Lord for the manifestation of his promises. The promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost.

Glory to Jesus, we do not need to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit anymore. He has been released unto us by the father. We only need to receive him (the baptism of the Holy Spirit), which you have if you are born again. Halleluiah.

When we obey God’s instructions, we will surely reap the fruit of our obedience. When God promises a thing and leaves us with specific instructions, we must be careful to diligently carry out the instructions because following the instructions will be instrumental to the fulfillment of the promise. Disobeying might make the promise tarry or not even be fulfilled.

God is faithful. He keeps his word. God and his word are inseparable. Speaking through his prophet Isaiah, God said As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

God keeps to his words. However, obedience to his instruction will determine if we will see and receive the manifestation of God’s promises to us.

Prayer and Confession
Obedience matters. Help me to always be patient enough in waiting for the manifestation of your promises for my life.

Further readings: Acts 1:4; 12-14; 2:1-4