Something else

Back in April, I was reading through the book of Acts. I felt like God spoke to me through a few passages in Acts, and I referred back to them quite a few times. Now as I start Acts again for this Summer reading plan thing, I can't help but absorb myself in Acts 1:4.

"... Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about."

Now this is about the gift of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

But it stuns me. Because I find such common ground.

Jesus rose from the dead. He amazed His apostles. He was sending them out. He was getting them excited. He showed them signs, and wonders. He told them new things, and was the Good News itself, whom they had walked with, and talked with. How could they bare to stay where they were when they had such crazy amazing news they witnessed first hand!?

Jesus told them to go out. To make disciples. Why was He going back and saying, "Wait there. Put on the breaks. You need to stay here first."

I wonder if they were confused. I wonder if they were frustrated. I wonder if some of them didn't listen, and left Jerusalem.

He got them excited, then went back on it.

To make it even more unbearable, right after Jesus told them to wait, and to stay where they were a little longer, He went back up to heaven.

If I were them, I'd want my money back.

Because gosh, just think about it! Jesus did amazing things, then died and rose from the dead. Then said to go and tell all the world about it. They probably couldn't wait to do it!

Then He says to wait, and stay where they were.

Then ascends into heaven.

As if they needed one MORE thing to drive them crazy about staying put for a while.

They had questioned Jesus, and He basically told them not to worry about the details, even though they were just trying to make sense of it.

Then the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is what prepared them, equipped them for their task. For going out, and making disciples.

They had to stay where they were, to wait for the gift Jesus had talked about.

It makes me reflect on something God's impressed on my heart this year. That He's giving me a new dream. I've blogged about this a lot. I know God has seriously warned me things are going to be different than I thought in my life. He made me excited. He healed me of some crap. He restored me, and gave me the capability to carry more of Himself. He was giving me something new. I couldn't wait to live it.

I was all ready to move to Nashville. Now I'm a 2nd grade teacher in New Jersey.

Guns. Have. Sons.

So God is telling me, through the story of this Summer, " Do not leave, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about."

The gift. The dream. The new dream.

Maybe there's more to it than I received already. Maybe there's something else that I don't quite have, that is completely required for the new dream. Just like the apostles. Just having the Good News didn't cut it. Jesus has something ELSE.

Oi. God doesn't like things to get too boring, now does He?

I won't leave. After this Summer, I would expect a bolt of lightening to snap me into pieces if I tried.

I'm excited for something else.