Today, I walked barefoot in the rain. No pictures of those moments. Though they weren’t extended for a long period, I have still enjoyed the rain today as I drove home from church…and took my little barefoot walk back from taking the garbage out…and now, outside my window. Has today been perfect? Almost and on its way, but not entirely…however, the good has far outweighed the bad. Is that your day as well? I sure hope so.
As I was reminded earlier that today is Pentecost…50 days past Easter…the day when The Holy Spirit came and empowered the apostles to be able to carry out the work of spreading the gospel. I thought of how they gathered and waited as Jesus commanded…
“’Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. ”John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ‘ {Acts of the Apostles 1:4-5 NLT}
Did they know what to expect as they waited? Waiting on the unknown isn’t easy.
Did they know how long they would wait? Jesus said “a few days,” but sometimes a few days feels like a long wait…but, they had seen enough to know that what Jesus spoke of would be worth the wait.
Reflecting back, not knowing or understanding the work of the Holy Spirit, I found it a scary thing to not know what to expect. What might God ask me to do if I surrendered to His will and His way? Even church services where I thought He might move, I found myself, at times, to be a little “ill at-ease.” In hindsight, what came from that surrender and those church services where God has moved was good, good, and simply more good!
It isn’t easy when we don’t understand, but that is where faith comes in. It is good to have a reverent fear of God for He is Holy, all-knowing, all-seeing; and although He IS loving, He is also just and hates sin (not the sinner)…but we need not be afraid when we seek Him and His will for our lives.
I admire how the disciples waited as commanded. I am not always great at waiting. I may take forever to make a decision, but once I have decided, I am ready to rock and roll. Or perhaps, I am waiting for something specific, or a promise to be fulfilled. I sometimes have to soothe myself in the waiting. Sometimes, the wait is for the hard time I am in to pass…and when there is no determined end in sight, it isn’t an easy wait. That is where embracing today comes in.
When worry in the waiting tries to grip my soul, it often helps me to remind myself of the exact moment that I am in right now. What is it about this moment that is good and true? Embrace that and thank God for it.
‘And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT (If you have read my blog any, I am sure that you have read these verses here before because they are life-changing!)
So…as I am still waiting for a few prayers to be answered…prayers that I don’t have the answers to, I had a moment in the rain where I embraced the feeling of my bare feet in the water. I am embracing the rain as I write these words. I thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit given so many moons ago…that precious gift that is not to be shunned but simply received.
I wouldn’t want to walk this life without Him. I know that without His presence and His power, I can’t overcome the sin that wants to trip us up. I know that there is victory in no other than Him…and I receive that victory through acceptance and surrender…surrender of my will and my desires. The funny thing is that when I surrender those desires, asking Him to align them with His, I have found that many of the desires that are in my heart are there because He placed them there. He gifted and equipped me to carry out the work of spreading the gospel by some of those very desires that He placed within me. Your unique gifts were made for the same.
I enjoy. He receives the glory.
I celebrate. He receives honor through my thanksgiving.
I choose to trust Him as I wait for the answers that I don’t have. I choose to come to Him when the burden begins to weigh heavy. I do my best to look around and find the little things—and the big(!)—to be thankful for! There are so many, MANY things to celebrate!! May we both be reminded that God’s plan is not to be feared but is absolutely worth waiting for…
“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. {Acts 2:1-2NLT}
16” No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people…’” {Acts 2:16-17a NLT}
To be embraced and celebrated—not feared.
“6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” {2 Timothy 1:6-7 NLT}
Simply Celebrate With Jackie 