“You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:48-49

He didn’t say how long to wait, exactly,
or where to wait, specifically,
or what they were waiting for, precisely.

God is big on waiting.
He is not limited by time or space.
He doesn’t wear a watch or keep a planner or feel hurried and rushed.
He has all the time in the world.

When we’re told to wait, we have a choice how to go about it. We can wait patiently, with trust and confidence in His timing, yet shivering with anticipation. Or we can wait nervously, agitated and grumbling while biting our nails and clenching our teeth.

We once had a dog that knew how to wait. We would put a treat at one end of the kitchen floor, put her at the other end and tell her to “stay”. She never took her eyes off that treat. As she waited, her body began to quiver and drool started to drizzle down from her mouth. She would whimper slightly, give us a quick glance and then refocus on the treat. When there was a puddle of drool under her chin, we would say “Okay” and she would make a mad scramble across the kitchen for the small morsel.

She never knew how long she was going to have to wait.
She didn’t know why her loving masters were causing this suffering.
But the reward was well worth the wait.
Oh, for the obedience of that dog.

For the disciples, the Father’s promise raised more questions.
Did it matter where they stayed in the city?
What did it mean to be clothed with power?
When was this thing going to take place?
What if they missed it when it came?

Stay.