Dave's Diary

Prayer

Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your sense of anticipation that God is about to speak to you through His Word. Then, before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 46:10

Lord, help me to be still.
Help me to remember that You are God
and that You are with me always. Amen.

Reading

Luke 24:45-53

On that first day of Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were already afraid of what the Jewish authorities might do to them. Then Jesus appeared in their midst, back from the dead, and their immediate reaction was to be even more afraid. This was all just too much for them.

But Jesus, ever so gently and patiently, showed them once again what He had taught them often during His ministry.

⁴⁶ He told them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. 

In that moment, I’m sure the disciples must have been absolutely overwhelmed. Even though they now understood much better, surely the fear must have remained. How could they, a motley band of fishermen, tradesmen and a tax collector take this message to all nations? Preposterous!

And that’s where Jesus’ command for today comes in:

⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

Yes, that’s a promise. It’s the promise that they would be given the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfil their mission. But it is also a command. “`Stay … until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

William Barclay points out in his commentary on this verse:

They had to wait in Jerusalem until power from on high came upon them. There are occasions when the Christian may seem to be wasting time, as he waits in a wise passivity. Action without preparation must often fail. There is a time to wait on God and a time to work for God. 

In our age of scrolling through endless information, rushing from one thing to the next, filling every waking moment with activity, and wearing our “busyness” as a badge of honour, we need to hear this word of command. We need to learn the art of “staying until”. Not staying forever, but staying until we know that we have received the direction and the power the Lord wants to give us, to equip us to carry out His mission effectively.

May we be given grace to find that balance today.

Contemplation

Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn these declarations over and over in your mind. Keep them in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ:

• I will resist the tyranny of busy-ness.
• I will wait on the Lord for direction.
• I will wait on the Lord for power.
• Then, but only then, I will act in obedience.

Lord Jesus, teach me the art of “staying until” I have received direction and power from You. And then, send me out to take Your good news of forgiveness and grace to the ends of the earth. Amen