Awaitng the Spirit

‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

 ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:1-15

Whenever my husband has a doctor's appointment, he takes along his backpack that usually has several books and magazines to read. He is good at waiting and patience. I am not. I do work at it and have learned to do as he does, bringing materials to read etc., but I still find myself impatient with the progress of people and things. We are in the season of celebratory waiting, between Easter and Pentecost, when the disciples were confounded as to have to live post resurrection.

Jesus is preparing his disciples for a time when he would no longer be with them. They didn't want to hear it. Looking back, they understood they were being prepared, yet were still overwhelmed by the trauma and loss of their friend. We are reminded that "the waiting is the hardest part", and yet God promises "that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength." Our timing is never God's timing, yet waiting on the Lord is always transforming and life giving.

Today, I ask God to give me an extra measure of patience. May we all embrace the waiting as a gift from God trusting that God will fulfill all the promises with overwhelming abundance.