Watching While Waiting (Waiting - Don't Waste It, part 2)

“So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?’ He replied, ‘The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!’” Acts 1:6-11 (NLT2)

For almost 2000 years Christians have been waiting for Christ to return, that’s a very long wait, that’s 80 generations (if you count 25 years as a generation) waiting their entire lives. I would call that serious waiting. There they were gawking into the empty sky Jesus just disappeared into when two angels told them to snap back to a life of waiting, watching, and working. Maybe we need some snapping back ourselves?

It is easy to get sidetracked, bored, and passive while waiting. Jesus had warned his disciples about becoming lax and irresponsible while waiting (Matthew 24:42-25:46, Mark 13:33-37), “Stay alert!”Staying alert is one of the big challenges in waiting, it so easy to slip into Netflix filled waiting, simply passing the time waiting, whatever I want to do kind of waiting, and before you know it you’re just staring into space – spacing out.So, how do we stay alert in both waiting for Jesus’ return and the waiting in everyday life? Here are there things to learn to practice: 

1. Waiting with your ears open (Acts 8:26-31)

• To the Holy Spirit – He has where you are in time, location, and situation for a reason.

  1. Listening to obey (James 1:2-7). Listening to the Holy Spirit is about wanting to do God’s will, not about evaluating options.

  2. To what you hear around you – Learn to listen for clues of God being at work in people, hearing people’s questions, confusion, searching.

1. Waiting with your eyes open (Acts 17:16-17)

• To spiritual reality – There is a spiritual dimension, a bigger picture to all of life.

  1. Noticing what is right in front of you.

  2. Seeing opportunities to advance God’s kingdom.

1. Waiting with our life open (John 4:3-10)

• When you are tired, exhausted, busy.

  1. When you encounter different people and situations.

  2. When you are alone or with your group.

Maybe God is trying to open up your ears, your eyes, your life in the midst of all the current waiting. What does God want you to hear, to see, to be open to?

To God be all glory.
Love you, Pastor Hans   

Brakes

January 30 2011

I was intending to change the oil, service the transmission, and chase down a
clicking noise on my daughter’s car. After I changed the oil, and after I had the
transmission pan pop off too quick, spilling fluid everywhere except into the pan it
was supposed to go in, I found the reason for the clicking noise to be a worn CVC
shaft. While taking the shaft out I also looked at the front brakes, and yes you’ve
guessed it, they needed to be done as well.

I am somewhat of stickler when it comes to the brakes, especially when the
brakes are on car that hauls as precious of a cargo as my girls. I have felt the
terror that comes when you are going down a hill, step on your brakes, and
nothing happens except the pedal hitting the floor. I have driven with brakes that
required a furious pumping action in order for anything to happen. I’ve had my
precious wife drive down the grade from Greeley Hill in her 63 VW and realize all
she had was the emergency brake and low gears. Would you please raise your
hand if you are reading this and think that good, working brakes on the vehicle
you drive, or are riding in, are a very, very, good idea.

While working on those brakes I started thinking, “What if I were as diligent in
maintaining and servicing the brakes on more than just my cars? What about
having good brakes when it comes to my mouth, my attitudes, negativity, bad
habits, getting sidetracked, anger, greed, self-indulgence, making rash or even
plain dumb decisions, etc.?”

Have you ever seen those emergency pull-outs for runaway trucks? (I wonder if
truckers regularly pray to not ever having to use one of them). But trucks are not
the only ones that have to negotiate difficult terrain carrying heavy loads; life is
like that for us as well. Our lives sure can spin out of control rather quickly if the
brakes aren’t working, and the result is that we crash, get hurt, and hurt others.

So how are your brakes? And are you going through life at a sane and safe speed.
Because if you drive or live recklessly it doesn’t matter how good your brakes are,
you will crash sooner than later, and you are endangering all who are in your life,
as well as those with whom you share the road.

Maybe it is time you’ve pulled yourself into the shop of God’s Word (the Bible)

and have things checked out? Maybe it is time to ask someone who will be
brutally honest with you and ask him or her whether or not your brakes are in
working order, and whether you are driving under or out of control? (By the way,
maintaining good brakes, honest feedback, and help are some of the values of
weekly worship and Bible study in community with others).

Of course I have also heard of people who use the gas pedal and the brakes at the
same time, which is less than smart. In fact that qualifies as a bad habit, stressing
both the motor and the brakes, resulting in premature wear and tear as well as
more frequent repairs. I don’t know about you but I love life a lot more when I
am not stressed out, when the repairs are rare and the repair bills are small, and
most importantly, those around me don’t have dodge me on the road we share.
I love to be able to invite others into my life and know that they feel save and
can enjoy my company and the scenery. I love for God to be able to use me as a
worthwhile example of someone who lives to be a blessing to him and others,
and I know for that I need good brakes and good driving habits. (“Become sober-
minded as you ought, and stop sinning; …” 1 Corinthians 15:34, NASB)

To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans