Acts 1:4-5 and 12-14, Psalm 6:3, Habakkuk 1:2

Matt Summerfield reflects on the need to wait well for God's promises

Matt Summerfield

Around the late 1960s - early 70s, Walter Mischel conducted an experiment with over 500 children. The challenge for the child was whether they would eat the one marshmallow now or wait 15 minutes in order to have two. On average, most children lasted about three minutes. Only 30% of all the children managed to wait until the researcher returned.

And then, as they tracked these same children, things got even more interesting.

All the children were re-evaluated as teenagers and adults, and the researchers found that those who learned to wait enjoyed much greater success in life - in both their teenage and adult years.

They did better in exams, experienced higher levels of self-confidence and self-worth, were more mature, were better able to cope with stress, were more likely to plan ahead and were less likely to have drug problems, or addictive behaviours, get divorced or be overweight.

Waiting is tough for everybody, but there are tangible benefits if you can learn to wait both now and for the future.

In Acts 1:4-5 we're told that before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He gave his disciples a very specific instruction.

"On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

Later in verses 12-14 we read:

"Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying. They all met together and were constantly united in prayer..."

So Jesus gives very specific instructions to His disciples. Before they were to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead, they were to wait. They needed to wait on God in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit would come to fill them with power so that they would then be fully equipped as missionaries.

They do what Jesus tells them. They find a place to stay in Jerusalem - and they pray and wait. Pray and wait.

And remember, Jesus returns to Heaven on the 40th day after His resurrection and we know from Acts 2 that the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost which was day 50. So they waited 10 days - but of course they didn't know how long they would have to wait.

Every day, for 10 days they waited together in Jerusalem - wondering each day whether 'today would be the day' when the power of God would come and break out in them, and through them.

The Bible doesn't tell us what happened in those 10 days, but one thing we know about the disciples is that they were VERY human and so I guarantee you that all manner of emotions were taking place during those 10 days as they learnt to wait.