Listen

Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.”

Luke 24:44-49

Think

You can almost hear the leaving in his voice. The disciples can see that he’s sitting down, teaching in his unhurried way. But from what he’s saying you’d think he was halfway out the door, calling out last-minute instructions from the porch. It’s like he’s trying to cram it all into a tiny sound-bite.

He’s saying something about the fulfillment of Scripture. Now it’s something about suffering and resurrection. Now he’s talking about forgiveness. It’s sort of a whirlwind.

But at the end of it all comes a promise: “I am sending to you what my Father promised… stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.”

No matter what happens, wait for me. It may look like all is lost. You may feel abandoned. But even then, you are not alone. I am sending the Holy Spirit to set you aflame with the power of God.

Caitlin Harper

Pray

O God of waiting and silence,
When I hug my knees to my chest,
Head down and heart heavy in confusion and loss,
You sit beside me, quiet and steady.
Help me to wait faithfully,
Knowing that even when you appear to have left me,
That I am never alone,
For you have sent me the Spirit of power.
Amen.

Go

Knowing that the God who has authority over the whole universe made you and loves you, how will you celebrate this week?