The Gift My Father Promised

THE GIFT MY FATHER PROMISED

a prayer to open

Holy Spirit, come. Center my heart.

Fill my mind. Guide my steps.

During the forty days after [Jesus] suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles . . . and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. . . .

He commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus’ resurrection and ascension were not the end of the story. As we dive into this sequel to Luke’s Gospel account, we discover that as followers of Jesus, we are not merely in a holding pattern until Christ returns. Each of us has a role to play in the redemption and restoration of the world. But we are not left to our own strength—Jesus promised to (and did) send the Holy Spirit to supernaturally empower his followers to bring healing, reconciliation, and love to a broken world.

• Read this passage again. What word or phrase stands out to you? Sit quietly, reminding yourself that you are in God’s loving presence, and ask him to show you how that word or phrase connects to your life.
• Reflect on a broken relationship in your life that you have seen restored or reconciled. What was required for that to happen? What role did you play?
• Where do you currently see broken relationships and systems in your work, community, or family? As a follower of Jesus, what role can you play in bringing healing?

Father, thank you for Jesus’ last words to his disciples and the incredible truth that I have a role to play in your redemption and restoration of all things. Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit and the power to share the gospel and bring reconciliation and healing to people who are hurting and systems that are broken. Help me access that power and allow it to inform my words and drive my actions. Give me supernatural strength and wisdom to fulfill my role in your plan for this world. Amen.