Pearls of Great Value

Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.” Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy [fully understanding that He lives and that He is the Son of God]; and they were continually in the temple blessing and praising God.” Luke‬ ‭24:49-53‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Remain in Jerusalem. This was the command to the disciples from Jesus just before he left for heaven. And it struck me. They didn’t know when this promised Holy Spirit would come. They probably thought it would be the next day. It wasn’t. And it wasn’t the day after or the day after that. I wonder if on the seventh day Peter was getting a bit impatient or was he still? I wonder if they got anxious in the end knowing that there was work to be done. Did the inactivity bother them or had they learned to rest? The Bible says they waited, continually being in the temple blessing and praising God. Acts 1 uses the word devoted(or united/one accord) and says: “All these with one mind and one purpose were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together] along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” Acts‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭AMP‬‬

It’s a big deal to God that we learn to be present and still before Him. Not only to be present but to stay present and continue to bless and praise Him in the waiting. I think about how much I value when a person I’m in conversation with stays in the moment with me. How good it is to have their undivided attention and knowing their mind isn’t all over the place! I’m thinking God treasures this focused heart from us as well. It’s a big deal that we learn to listen and obey, even if it doesn’t make sense in the  natural.

As we move into Pentecost, Lord help us most of all to be present. Present with you. So often we let our busy lives dictate our days and too often this gets us out of presence with You. So Lord, teach us in these days leading up to Pentecost to be more present with you, and you will be present with us. The past doesn’t matter, the future doesn’t matter, but right now matters a whole lot. Help us to value this very moment we are and it will wonderfully shape the next. We ask for a settling in our hearts and minds and emotions to be still and know that you are God in our lives. You know our comings and goings, our successes and failures. God, You know us through and through and You love us so much! We thank you for your voice and for Holy Spirit in us.

Thank you Father, for your relentless pursuit of us. Thank you also for these moments where as we wrestle with you, you bring clarity where before there was doubt and confusion. As we begin to be present with you, we pray for the gift of listening. Help us to listen well! Tune our hearts to you, to hear as you speak truth to us.

Father, may we also know that there is blessing that comes with being completely present with our families and loved ones. May we be good listeners as they share with us. Encourage us to take time to listen and not interrupt in conversation. To listen before we speak and think. Help us to grow and mature in this area.

Thank you so much for Pentecost! Thank you for sending us the Helper, the Holy Spirit. Give us moments in our days where we can’t help but say, “This was the work of the Spirit.” I pray for open hearts and eyes to see the working of the wind, the working of your breath as the Spirit moves among us. I pray and speak healing in our land, healing in every brokenness, healing of blind eyes, and healing of harden hearts, in Jesus mighty name Amen, Amen.

“While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now.” So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, “Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?”

He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” Acts‬ ‭1:4-8‬ ‭AMP‬‬