Time to get busy

And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." – Acts 1.7-11

First of all please accept my apologies. I tend to schedule my devotions a few days in advance and somehow I skipped all of John 21. We will go back there and catch that up in a few days.

Anyway – to the book of Acts.

Acts is written by Luke, kind of a Luke II. It starts after the resurrection and after all the disciples have seen Jesus. Between the gospels and the start of Acts Jesus spent some time with the disciples.

Now, in His last message on earth Jesus said (pardon the parrowphrase) ‘Don’t worry about God’s timeframe. You are going to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Be witnesses for me at home, abroad, and every place in between.’

And then He was carried away into heaven.

Can’t say I blame them, but the disciples stood there gaping into heaven.

So the attending angels said something that convicts, challenges, and even shames me – ‘Why are you looking up into heaven? Jesus will come back just like He left.’

The implication is clear – ‘stop hanging around here and get busy doing what Jesus just told you today.’

I spend far too much time waiting and looking and just standing around gazing at this or that. I have friends and neighbours and co-workers and townsfolk who need to hear my witness of Christ. I have the power of the Holy Spirit.

‘Roger, the angels might very well ask, why are you standing there gazing. Get busy.’