Advent Day 20

We are just a few days away from Christmas!  As we get closer in observance to the day of our Savior’s birth, I want us to consider some of Jesus’ last recorded words.  With these words Jesus reveals yet another promise to His followers, the Holy Spirit.  

I have written some this advent season about tradition.  Christmas traditions fluctuate and change but what makes a tradition a tradition is familiarity and consistency.  Imagine the original hearers of Jesus’ words.  They had longed for the Him, the Savior.  Their parent, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. had waited so long for Immanuel.  In the days prior to Jesus giving this promise, as recorded by Luke in the book Acts, all hope had been lost, then restored, and now Jesus’ followers are in this moment greatly encouraged but I imagine still left wondering what next?

This season where are you in the realm of hope, expectation, tradition, joy and the future? Though Jesus physically left those who had followed, served, and physically walked beside Him He did not leave them alone.  He gifted to them the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.     

Today as you pray I encourage you to thank God for His consistency and desire to be with His people.  Thank Him for His Spirit and His leading. Thank Him that through His work amongst a small group the world was turned upside down and the saving message of the gospel was made available for you to hear and accept.  

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8