By Lilly Lewin
Thursday was Ascension Day.
Now we are living in the land of in-between …we may not realize it but in the liturgical calendar, we are in the days of “staying in Jerusalem until we receive the promised Holy Spirit. We are in the days of waiting, the days of “already but not yet”!
We have seen Jesus
We have been with the resurrected Jesus
We have seen his scars
We have eaten with him again
We have been reminded to love him and love others
We have been commissioned to go feed sheep and take his good news of love and forgiveness to the world!
We have watched the clouds as Jesus ascended back to the Father.
And now our world is no longer the same….
Now we are invited to wait!
To go back to Jerusalem and wait for the gift
To go back to a dangerous place to wait
To go back to wait for the promised Holy Spirit.
You and I know what to prepare for …we know what to watch for…tongues of fire, an extremely loud wind.
What do you think the first followers of Jesus thought they were waiting for?
What did they think would happen next?
What kind of gift were they expecting to receive?
jesus mafa
READ:
“It was also foretold that, beginning in the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem), the good story would be told to all nations. This story will change hearts and minds and release people from their bad hearts and broken ways.
“You, my message bearers, have seen these things with your own eyes so that you can go and tell others. But first you must wait in Village of Peace (Jerusalem) until I send to you the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. He will dress you in my regalia, with power coming down from the spirit-world above.”Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then walked with them to House of Figs (Bethany). He lifted his hands and spoke blessing words over them, 51and as he spoke, he was taken up into the spirit-world above.
As he went up, his followers bowed down to honor him, and then with glad hearts they returned to the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem).
Day by day they gathered at the sacred lodge, praying and giving thanks to the Great Spirit.
Aho! May it be so!
LUKE 24:47-53 First Nations Bible
Before he leaves, Jesus gives the disciples a blessing as he ascends…what blessing words do you need to hear from Jesus today?
How does the absence of Jesus change his followers? How are they different after the Ascension?
How does the absence of physical Jesus affect you or have you thought about this?
We don’t like waiting…Jesus told his followers they had to wait. What is Jesus asking you to wait for these days?
Jesus asks his disciples to stay in Jerusalem til the Holy Spirit arrives. Where is Jesus inviting you to stay? How do you feel about this?
I love the description of being dressed in the regalia of Jesus!
“He will dress you in my regalia, with power coming down from the spirit-world above.”
Take some time and imagine what being dressed in the power of the Holy Spirit would look like for you?
What kind of physical garment would express the beauty and power of the Holy Spirit for you?
chapel in cincinnati art museum
CREATE A WAITING SPACE….and take time to BE STILL!
Is you waiting room filled with worship or worry?
Is it filled with hope or fear? What does it look like? Feel like?
What things can you do to create space to wait in hope and peace and joy? You can Design this space in your imagination or in your real life. You might create a waiting space on paper …you can collage what a peaceful space of waiting looks like. Or you can create a space with a comfy chair, pillows, a blanket and some tea and actually practice waiting for the Spirit.
What if we all took 15 minutes a day to wait on the Holy Spirit in this space…. knowing that we are surrounded in God’s love?
imagine the scene
Here are some other ways to Wait:
DESIGN YOUR HOLY SPIRIT GARMENT
TAKE TIME TO WATCH THE CLOUDS….Consider how the disciples watched Jesus rise into the clouds and imagine the scene. Imagine Jesus rising to be with God over your own city/town/neighborhood! What would that look like?Then Imagine Jesus coming again!
NOTICE THE WIND! And Take time to Stand in it and be filled with the Holy Spirit
PLAN A CELEBRATION! We can get ready to celebrate the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost . This year it is Sunday, May 17th. Find some red clothing to wear. Decorate with red flowers or balloons. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church! It’s when the new church was born! See Acts 2. So you could bake some cupcakes or make a cake.
But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. JESUS …John 16:7
“Absence and presence are connected. Presence and absence are co related terms. You have to have absence or you don’t desire presence. You take people for granted when they are always around” Richard Rohr
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com