Disciples Follow Jesus' Command to Wait

While the disciples find themselves in the midst of a waiting period bridging the two major events, they are not idle. Between the departure of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit they are praying and planning. They are also doing this together.

If you do these daily devotions on your own, I encourage you to
(1) consider doing them with another person and/or
(2) gather with a couple of other Jesus followers weekly and
discuss the impact of IMMERSION’s prayers and pondering.

This is a powerful use of the micro-group life we use at Hope.

John 16:7

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.
~ Jesus

Pondering Point

If you were a disciple in Jesus’ days of walking this earth, this teaching is a major game-changer. Why? Because He's going away where they couldn't follow – at least not yet (see John 13:36) below.

It used to be that one could follow Him into boats and onto water, onto mountains and into valleys, into temples and out of olive groves. Now that is different.

While His disciples could no longer follow Him physically, the gift of His Holy Spirit would allow them – and us – to follow Jesus spiritually while we wait to see Him with our own eyes.

John 13:36

36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

Prayer

Holy Spirit, thank You for helping us learn how to follow the Jesus with our hearts and minds, with our faith and spiritual eyes until, with Job of the Old Testament, we see our Redeemer with our own eyes. Amen.