Jesus breathes on them and tells them to “receive the Holy Spirit” but they do not receive it for ~50 days.
Could He have revealed sooner? Could He have given sooner? Certainly, therefore we have to presume there is some value in the waiting.
It is a period of waiting, receptively. It is a time of hope and faith maintained. New research suggests it actually takes 60 days to establish a habit. Two moon cycles – well long enough to lose heart.
What if Jesus’ 40 days in the desert – the time in-between was a demonstration of the benefit of “things withheld”, “answers un-received” in allowing us to experience waiting, to develop our habit of expectancy and anticipation, for at any moment our “suddenly” might come?
What if it reflects one of the core values I picked up from The Cure and the tribe of grace – that the journey is the destination. It is not about achieving or “getting there”, but rather walking with Him without dissatisfaction for His delay, but praise for the strength in habit developing within and His presence with us always.
What if it’s just this tension that allows us to see things that are not as if they are? What if, during these times it is community, the manifestation of the periochoresis of the Godhead’s dance with us (plural) in Him, Him in us (plural), also manifesting His life, joining us in koinonia?
What if the challenge of the in-between is met and mastered in community? Jesus mastered His in the desert with His enemy, but if you read carefully, even there was community. After He responded well the 3rd time the devil left Him, but that was not the end – for He needed ministry to be fully who He was created to be. The angels came and ministered to Him. Even when the trial is over, there is a period of getting our equilibrium back and it involves others; Job’s friends sitting with him, Paul desiring Timothy and even back to Lazarus’’ unwrapping.
Could God zap us to overcoming independently? Certainly. Nevertheless, His desire was not just us in Him and Him in us. Even Jesus alone tells us it is not just Him, for He must go to send another, the Comforter. He (Holy Spirit), not Jesus, will lead you in all truth.
Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, sweating blood after the Passover but before the cross, was ministered to again by angels. Elijah was ministered to by the ravens. David, in sin over Uriah’s death, was ministered life by Nathan.
I remember early in my marriage praying, “zap’em God” to which I am so grateful He replied, “What if it’s you I want to change, Vicki?”, and “if nothing ever changes, am I enough?” He never intended to zap Jerry or give me an immediate healing this area. Rather, in the space in-between He has revealed truth, He has brought others into my life for seasons or years all ordained to do what the Godhead could zap instantly, but in honoring me individually and the gifts within others, has allowed to organically grow. His Kingdom within one, a few, many and with hopeful expectancy, one day all.
Have I, have you received immediate revelation and transformation from Him at times? Assuredly, but the unity of the Trinity – each with a part – and us the body of believers – each a different part – need community, unity and oneness. I can survive perhaps as John the Baptist – alone in the desert, yet even his part was brought into community for the benefit of others.
May this tribe grow – may it be healthy in honoring others – may we – bearing Christ as the Holy Spirit – minister life and love to each other always.
Maybe He enjoys my heart’s delight as a section of the journey is traversed in Him AND in community and I cry out, “Go God!”
I have a feeling those are two of His favorite words.
Could He have revealed sooner? Could He have given sooner? Certainly, therefore we have to presume there is some value in the waiting.
It is a period of waiting, receptively. It is a time of hope and faith maintained. New research suggests it actually takes 60 days to establish a habit. Two moon cycles – well long enough to lose heart.
What if Jesus’ 40 days in the desert – the time in-between was a demonstration of the benefit of “things withheld”, “answers un-received” in allowing us to experience waiting, to develop our habit of expectancy and anticipation, for at any moment our “suddenly” might come?
What if it reflects one of the core values I picked up from The Cure and the tribe of grace – that the journey is the destination. It is not about achieving or “getting there”, but rather walking with Him without dissatisfaction for His delay, but praise for the strength in habit developing within and His presence with us always.
What if it’s just this tension that allows us to see things that are not as if they are? What if, during these times it is community, the manifestation of the periochoresis of the Godhead’s dance with us (plural) in Him, Him in us (plural), also manifesting His life, joining us in koinonia?
What if the challenge of the in-between is met and mastered in community? Jesus mastered His in the desert with His enemy, but if you read carefully, even there was community. After He responded well the 3rd time the devil left Him, but that was not the end – for He needed ministry to be fully who He was created to be. The angels came and ministered to Him. Even when the trial is over, there is a period of getting our equilibrium back and it involves others; Job’s friends sitting with him, Paul desiring Timothy and even back to Lazarus’’ unwrapping.
Could God zap us to overcoming independently? Certainly. Nevertheless, His desire was not just us in Him and Him in us. Even Jesus alone tells us it is not just Him, for He must go to send another, the Comforter. He (Holy Spirit), not Jesus, will lead you in all truth.
Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, sweating blood after the Passover but before the cross, was ministered to again by angels. Elijah was ministered to by the ravens. David, in sin over Uriah’s death, was ministered life by Nathan.
I remember early in my marriage praying, “zap’em God” to which I am so grateful He replied, “What if it’s you I want to change, Vicki?”, and “if nothing ever changes, am I enough?” He never intended to zap Jerry or give me an immediate healing this area. Rather, in the space in-between He has revealed truth, He has brought others into my life for seasons or years all ordained to do what the Godhead could zap instantly, but in honoring me individually and the gifts within others, has allowed to organically grow. His Kingdom within one, a few, many and with hopeful expectancy, one day all.
Have I, have you received immediate revelation and transformation from Him at times? Assuredly, but the unity of the Trinity – each with a part – and us the body of believers – each a different part – need community, unity and oneness. I can survive perhaps as John the Baptist – alone in the desert, yet even his part was brought into community for the benefit of others.
May this tribe grow – may it be healthy in honoring others – may we – bearing Christ as the Holy Spirit – minister life and love to each other always.
Maybe He enjoys my heart’s delight as a section of the journey is traversed in Him AND in community and I cry out, “Go God!”
I have a feeling those are two of His favorite words.
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