Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Waiting on the Lord for power

Acts. 1: 1-8

“…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“Happiness in a bottle, have this energy-drink to feel energized throughout the day” is the ad for one of the numerous energy drinks available in the market. We live in a stressful world; there are deadlines to be met, projects to be finished, to-do lists to be completed! Where do we draw our strength? Is that morning coffee, or that energy drink sufficient? Where do we get our power?

Jesus promises a source of power to his disciples-that which is far greater than any earthly source, and his promise remains true to us today. After the resurrection of Jesus, he had instructed his disciples that they were to witness to people around them all about him, but they were to wait on the power of Holy Spirit first.

While the vocations and responsibilities may vary, God calls us each to be his witnesses wherever we are. Jesus reminds us that whatever it is we do, we must do it by the power of the Holy Spirit. In order to be effective in our labor, we have to wait on the Lord for power and instructions. Even when we think we are doing “God’s work”, doing it in our own terms without leaning on the Holy Spirit for power leads to futility.

Reading further in verse 8, Jesus asks the disciples to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and all Samaria. In other words, they were to start sharing the gospel where they were placed first. Perhaps there is a co - worker who needs to hear about Jesus, a close friend, or a family member. It is often more difficult to share the message of Jesus with someone close than a stranger. But we don’t have to do it our own. Jesus reminds us-Wait on the Holy Spirit for power! He gives courage, boldness, confidence, ability and authority.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Thank you for reminding us that we are not on our own in this world. You have sent the Holy Spirit to empower us. Help us to rely on him and to be your witnesses wherever we are placed.

Thought for the Day:  Let us learn to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Priya Thomas, St. John’s MTC, New York




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