Stepping Back

We begin this week as a continuation of what had been our focus last week. Let’s look back, or go back a bit, as we refresh our minds with some of what we were offered at the end of last week’s meditation. This going back, comes with wisdom, precision and bold assurance. It provides us with added strength and courage to move forward.

Let’s take some wisdom from athletes. Focus for a second on those who do long jump, for example. Often, these giants of their game always step back before they lunge forward. This is the kind of wisdom that does not come to please or displease but to ensure folly is not anyone’s companion in this.

For today, then, on this privileged Lord’s Day Sunday, we are stepping back, going back a little, in order to ensure our spiritual minds and feet are in the correct places.

Before we even go back, we acknowledge the goodness and kindness of our Heavenly Father, in bringing us to this point in time. True, with the many evils which plague our world; with sin alive and very well indeed; with principalities and powers which we cannot withstand on our own; with the army of powerful, unseen forces, over which we have no human control, we have to depend on God, the Holy Spirit. He is our only shield and salvation. We give God thanks for His Gift of the Holy Spirit to us humans who, by faith, will receive Him.

Our Father in heaven, we give You thanks for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit who gives us renewed life. Thank You, Divine Spirit, for keeping us ever examining ourselves in Your Light that we may not be deceived by the crafty, clever, cunning deceiver. Thank You that in You, we have hope, hope which never disappoints. We acknowledge and confess that it is You and You alone who gives us the power to be the witnesses of Jesus. Please grant us, even now, more wisdom and understanding, as You enable us to be true learners, pleasing unto Father God. Amen!

Here are facts which we have gone back to, as I bring you what was written at the end of last week’s giving.

At Pentecost however, the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father, to come on the disciples, in order to give them power to be Jesus’ witnesses. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.  Acts 1: 8

This power, this Gift, can only come to them after Jesus leaves and returns to the Father in heaven.  It has been brought to my attention and given prominent place in my understanding, that unless Jesus returned, or left in the flesh, the Holy Spirit would not come upon them in power, to witness to the resurrection. What am I saying? We are shown this fact in John the Baptist and Jesus.

It is at this juncture that we stopped. It is from right here that we shall lunge forward tomorrow, with good momentum.