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

But in the midst of our trials - in the midst of our waiting - God makes some promises that you can hold on to.

1. He will be with you - numerous times throughout the Bible (Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua 1:5, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5) God makes this wonderful promise, "I will never leave you and I will never forsake you."

2. He will give you what you need during your suffering - peace, comfort, hope. In Philippians 4:19 Paul writes to the church in Philippi: "...this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches"

3. He will get you through it, either now or in eternity. In Isaiah 43:2-3 God makes another wonderful promise: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour."

God is saying - yes, tough times will come that might feel like you're drowning or your life is being burnt up BUT I will be with you and those things will not overcome you and you will come through. You will come through, if you hold on to me.

Why did the disciples wait for 10 days? Why didn't they give up? Because they held on to what Jesus promised. Jesus didn't promise how long it would take for the Holy Spirit to come, but He did promise that Holy Spirit would come - if they held on! And so they held on to what God promised - not what He didn't promise.

If you and I want to thrive in a time of waiting, then we must learn to do the same. It's the lesson we see time and time again in every story of the Bible.

God promised Abraham a son who will give birth to a nation - but he has to wait over 25 years.

God promised the Israelites that if they marched around a city called Jericho once a day for six days and then seven times on the seventh day, the city would supernaturally crumble. And so they did what God had said and for six days nothing happens and on the seventh day after the sixth time they walked around that city nothing was happening. But when they completed what God had told them to do and blew the trumpets, after the seventh time and gave a loud shout, God gave them the city as He promised.

God promised an army commander called Naaman who had been stricken with leprosy that if he washed himself in the river Jordan seven times, he would be healed. And though he really didn't want to do it Naaman did what God said. As he came up out of the water the sixth time and looked at his skin he discovered that nothing had changed but then he gave it one last go. When he did what God had told him to do - on the seventh time - Naaman was completely healed and God proved again that He always keeps His promises.

And so it goes on and on throughout the Bible and so it was true for the disciples in the upper room. Hold on to what God has promised in your time of waiting.