Devotion for Life for May 19th, 2026

Waiting

Waiting can be one of the hardest things to do. Sometimes we are waiting and we know what to expect. Sometimes we are waiting and all we know is that we are waiting and we are not quite sure or have no idea what we are waiting for. We are forced to wait without a clear timeline or even a reason why we are waiting. This can be difficult and heart wrenching.

The disciples had just gone through a time of of waiting in fear and disillusionment and that time was ended with joy and reassurance. They are again being told to wait, this time with clearer instructions and what would be coming. Jesus was leaving them, but He would be sending them the Holy Spirit to be with them as they went out to minister not just to Jerusalem and Judea but also to Samaria and to the ends of the earth. They didn’t know exactly what this was going to look like, but they knew that this was going to be something special. They knew they were waiting for the Holy Spirit and that they should stay together in Jerusalem. Receiving the Holy Spirit was a big deal. In the Hebrew Scriptures, only kings, leaders, or prophets, sometimes priests received the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of the Lord.

Waiting can be hard, but when we know we are waiting for God, it can make it a little easier. We realize we are waiting on the one who loves us and cares for us. We realize we are waiting on the one who can change the course of history. We are waiting in anticipation of God’s mighty acts of love and grace. Now to be honest sometimes we are called to wait days or weeks, sometimes years or even generations. It can be difficult, but when we are waiting on God, there is hope in the waiting.