12th May 2024 

God in the Waiting

It's one of those passive-aggressive statements that teachers know we shouldn't use with our classes and yet, at times, it's just too tempting.  "I'm waiting!" Body language (arms folded? hands on hips?) and tone combine to make it very clear that this is impatient waiting. We desire to get onto the next thing, and we are cross with those who are delaying us. As a society we are not very good at waiting. We prioritise efficiency and speed, next day delivery, instant messaging. We are annoyed by traffic jams, delayed trains, late appointments. Time spent waiting feels like time wasted.

This week we celebrate Ascension Day, when Jesus returns to his rightful place in heaven. For the disciples, left gazing up into heaven as Jesus disappears from view, his ascension marks the beginning of a time of waiting. For them, however, this is not impatient waiting, irritable waiting. It is not time wasted. Acts 1 tells us that, upon returning to the upper room in Jerusalem, "they all joined together constantly in prayer." Luke 24 tells us that, filled with joy, they returned to Jerusalem and "were constantly in the temple, praising God."

Jesus has left his disciples with a command: stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift my Father has promised. They don't know when this gift will arrive, nor how, nor exactly what it will be. Nevertheless, they wait with joy, together in prayer, together in praise. This is waiting with a purpose, waiting upon God in prayer.

I wonder if you, like me, ever feel that your prayer life feels a bit like online shopping? Put the items in the basket, press Send and expect next-day delivery. But, of course, we know that prayer isn't really like that. Time spent waiting on God in prayer is never wasted. For, as we wait, as precious children in the presence of a loving parent, as we submit our shopping lists to the scrutiny and editing of that loving parent, we find ourselves more and more opened up to the desires God our loving parent has for us. And more and more we will understand and experience the joy, the praise, the togetherness of those first disciples.

So I invite you to join us in waiting upon God in prayer as we celebrate Thy Kingdom Come over the next ten days. Come and discover the joy of joining together in prayer and praise in all sorts of different ways, of waiting with a purpose upon our loving parent, God who longs to pour out the gift of his Spirit upon us.