The Ascension: Waiting With Purpose

The Ascension: Waiting with Purpose

In our fast-paced world, waiting is often seen as a waste of time. We tap our feet impatiently in line, scroll endlessly through social media while waiting for appointments, and honk our horns in frustration when traffic doesn't move quickly enough. But what if waiting could be transformed from a passive annoyance into an active, purposeful part of our spiritual journey?

The ascension of Jesus provides a powerful framework for understanding the spiritual significance of waiting. After His resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days teaching His disciples about the kingdom of God. Then, in a moment that must have been both awe-inspiring and bewildering, He was taken up into heaven before their very eyes.

Picture the scene: the disciples, mouths agape, staring into the sky as their beloved teacher disappears into the clouds. They might have stayed there indefinitely, frozen in that moment, if not for the appearance of two men in white who jolted them back to reality with a profound message:

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

This declaration carries immense theological weight. The ascension of Jesus isn't just a dramatic exit – it's a guarantee of His return. This promise should galvanize believers, infusing our lives with hope and purpose as we await Christ's second coming.

But the angels' message also carries an implicit challenge: don't get stuck in the moment. As magnificent as the ascension was, the disciples couldn't remain on that mountaintop forever. They had a mission to fulfill, a command from Jesus to return to Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit.

This brings us to a crucial point: waiting on God is not passive. It's an active response of worship to His word. The disciples' example in Acts 1:12-14 provides a powerful model for how we should wait:

1. They met continually: The disciples made a constant choice to come together.
2. They united: Despite their differences and past conflicts, they worked to maintain unity.
3. They prayed: Their waiting was marked by consistent, unified prayer.

Waiting, when done right, requires work. It's not laziness or passivity; it's an opportunity for spiritual growth and preparation. When we wait on God, we're not just killing time until the next big thing happens. We're actively aligning ourselves with His purposes, allowing Him to shape us and prepare us for what's to come.

Consider the Hebrew concept of waiting, which carries the idea of two cords coming together. When we wait on God, we're not just marking time; we're intertwining our lives with His. We're waiting on Him like a child waits on a parent – with trust, expectancy, and a readiness to move when He does.

This perspective transforms how we approach the various seasons of waiting in our lives:

- Waiting for answers to prayer
- Waiting for guidance on major life decisions
- Waiting for healing or breakthrough
- Waiting for the fulfillment of God's promises

In each of these scenarios, we have a choice. We can tap our feet impatiently, trying to force outcomes through our own efforts. Or we can choose to wait actively, using the time to draw closer to God, serve others, and prepare ourselves for whatever He has in store.

The disciples' example challenges us to ask: What is God asking you to work on while you wait? What might He be working on in you? How is He preparing you for the next phase of your journey?

Remember, God may seem slow by our standards, but He is always at work. Waiting has a way of purifying our souls and readying us for what's ahead. It builds patience, strengthens faith, and deepens our reliance on God.

As we keep the ascension of Jesus at the forefront of our minds, we're confronted with a sobering question: What will you do while we wait for Jesus' second coming? Every aspect of our lives is under His assessment. One day, we will each have a one-on-one evaluation with Jesus, and He may well ask, "What did you do while you waited for Me?"

This isn't meant to instill fear, but to inspire faithfulness. We don't know when Christ will return – it could be in the next moment or in a thousand years. But we do know that we're called to live with purpose and intentionality in the meantime.

So, how can we be "waiters in the waiting"? Here are a few practical suggestions:

1. Serve others: Look for ways to meet needs in your community and church.
2. Grow in knowledge: Study God's Word and seek to understand it more deeply.
3. Cultivate spiritual disciplines: Develop habits of prayer, fasting, and worship.
4. Share your faith: Be ready to give an account of the hope that is in you.
5. Live with eternal perspective: Make choices that align with God's kingdom values.

Waiting doesn't have to be wasted time. When we approach it with the right attitude – as an opportunity for growth, service, and deepening our relationship with God – it becomes a powerful tool for spiritual transformation.

As we navigate the various seasons of waiting in our lives, let's remember the disciples' example. They didn't remain passive, gazing into the sky. They returned to Jerusalem with purpose, united in prayer and expectant for God's next move.

May we likewise be found faithful in our waiting, actively pursuing God's will and preparing for Christ's return. For in the end, it's not just about enduring until the wait is over. It's about who we become in the process.