DEVOTIONS

Monday, May 23 – “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.” (Acts 28:30) Waiting is the hardest part. Think about the things in your life into which you have devoted a large amount of time.  A profession, a hobby or any other project.  Now, imagine that you stayed in the same house for two whole years working on this devoted activity.  Could you do it?  Could you devote that much time to anything, especially if you didn’t see any results?  How much time is too long for you?  How patient are you?  How are you when it comes to waiting? 

Tuesday, May 24 – “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51) Jesus was thirty-three years old when he went to Jerusalem, for the last time.  He had been to Jerusalem many times before.  So, why now?  Why after thirty-three years?  For this was God’s time.  And God’s timing is always perfect.  Yet, God’s perfect timing will not always agree with your perfect timing.  Waiting is the hardest part.  Jesus is your example of waiting.  Waiting for God’s perfect timing.

Wednesday, May 25 – “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.” (Luke 24:49) This doesn’t sound that hard.  Hanging out in the city until God fulfills his promise.  Who wouldn’t like hanging out in the city?  How about a group of people who just witnessed their leader being arrested and killed by the authorities that were still in power?  Staying in the city meant that the disciples were exposed to grave danger.  If Jesus was killed and everyone knew that they followed Jesus, what would prevent them from suffering the same fate?  Waiting is the hardest part.   

Thursday, May 26 – “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7) Jesus had to die.  Jesus had to rise from the dead.  Jesus had to ascend into heaven.  All so that you and I could have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.  Or, “the Advocate”, as John says.  Jesus is your example and the Holy Spirit is your teacher, you helper, your counselor and your cruise director.  The Holy Spirit insures that you have access to all that you need, in order to believe and to follow.              

Friday, May 27 – “And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” (Luke 5:39) It’s really hard for you to be open to the possibility of something new when all you know is the reality of something old.  Thus, you tend to shine up the something old to seem so much better than it really was.  Afterall, “The old wasn’t all that bad.” you tell yourself.  Here’s the problem:  No matter how great the old was, holding onto it is preventing you from experiencing that which is new.  That which God is doing in you and through you right here, right now.  Just because you haven’t sipped the new wine yet, doesn’t mean that it’s not as good or even better than the old wine. 

Saturday, May 28 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26) “I will.”  The future tense of a relationship with God.  We naturally operate on this level: Prove it, then I will believe it.  If you can touch it, taste it, feel it, see it and hear it, then you will believe it.  God always operates on this level:  Believe it, then you will see it.  Take a leap of faith.  Believe in the “I will” of God.  Then you will touch it, taste it, feel it, see it and hear it more than you could have ever imagined.  The choice is yours.  Today, at least, consider the possibility of the “I will” of God.