January 1, 2014
“What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 the Message
Waiting on God may be one of the hardest aspects of your faith in Christ. There is so much available “now” for you to use for good purposes to good ends. Waiting seems such a waste of time and resources. After all, if you don’t act .. someone else will. Jesus said he could only do what He saw his Father doing. His “desert” moment was all about being tempted to act on his own versus abiding in His Father’s presence. He was offered expanded-abilities in exchange for acknowledging evil’s equality. So much good could have been performed .. lives helped. But He waited on his Father’s time. He told his disciples that their lives had been chosen to bear “fruit” .. but they had to learn to wait and abide in Him. Are you prepared to enter a new year with a waiting heart that can be “clothed” with the power of his Spirit? Their will always be urgency tempting you to strike out on your own. But waiting requires faith .. a surrendered life .. and the confident trust that it is Christ who is your real strength. This is where the battle lines are drawn: waiting in trust or worrying into action. Jesus said YOU are to be His Light and His witness even to the ends of your world .. or wherever He leads. It takes His power. Are you waiting into this new year .. or wondering what to do next? Waiting on The Lord doesn’t remove every obstacle or eliminate all problems. More often than not, it is the very obstacles and problems where the Light of Christ shines brightest. Because it becomes clear it is Christ and not you who is leading. Are you waiting with a willing heart into this new year…? It only takes a moment …
“For thus The Lord has commanded us, “I have placed YOU as a Light for the Gentiles, that YOU should bring salvation to the end of the earth.”” Acts 13:47 New American Standard
Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Weighting Saints following Jesus and friends of Priority One(kchesterp1@gmail.com)