A Bias Towards Action
It is my perception that when I look at the commands of Jesus and the activity of the early church, there is a decided bias towards action. I'd like to know specifically how many of Jesus' commands direct His disciples to wait, withdraw or pullback versus how often he told them to go and do.
I did a quick search of Peter Wittstock's research on the 125 Commands of Jesus and the only time I could find "wait" was when Jesus was commanding His disciples to be dressed in readiness and to keep their lamps lit as men waiting for the master to return from the wedding feast. One of the limitations of Wittstock's study it would seem is that it does not include Jesus' commands in the book of Acts, which is the major place I think about when I think about Jesus commanding the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit.
I'm certainly not suggesting that waiting on the Lord is important. We are commanded to do that in the Psalms and Isaiah reminds us that those who do will be strengthened. But this is a different type of waiting. This is the kind of waiting that is to be a constant and continual action on the part of those who are seeking His face.
It's just that I am struck with all the action words that Jesus uses:
Is it that God wants us to be action oriented? Now certainly, the right kind of action is important! Not just any action will do, but even if all we do is restrict ourselves to the basic actions found in the Great Commission — these actions surely we KNOW He desires us to do — we will find ourselves stretched, challenged and dependent on Him.
This type of action orientation should result in a constant need to be dependent on the Holy Spirit for empowerment and direction. I think that's where He wants us to be. Stretched beyond what we can handle on our own and reaching aggressively towards the territory He has commanded us to take.
It is when we are "poured out as a drink offering" as Paul was that we find "strength in weakness." But unless we are stretching to our point of weakness, we may not discover His strength and power sustaining and empowering us.
What think you? Am I way off on this one?
I did a quick search of Peter Wittstock's research on the 125 Commands of Jesus and the only time I could find "wait" was when Jesus was commanding His disciples to be dressed in readiness and to keep their lamps lit as men waiting for the master to return from the wedding feast. One of the limitations of Wittstock's study it would seem is that it does not include Jesus' commands in the book of Acts, which is the major place I think about when I think about Jesus commanding the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit.
I'm certainly not suggesting that waiting on the Lord is important. We are commanded to do that in the Psalms and Isaiah reminds us that those who do will be strengthened. But this is a different type of waiting. This is the kind of waiting that is to be a constant and continual action on the part of those who are seeking His face.
It's just that I am struck with all the action words that Jesus uses:
- Go into all the world
- Lay hands on the sick
- Give and it shall be given
- Make disciples
- Pray in this way
- Follow Me
- Sell your possessions and give alms
- Do not worry about your life
- Forgive
- Do
- and many, many more!
Is it that God wants us to be action oriented? Now certainly, the right kind of action is important! Not just any action will do, but even if all we do is restrict ourselves to the basic actions found in the Great Commission — these actions surely we KNOW He desires us to do — we will find ourselves stretched, challenged and dependent on Him.
This type of action orientation should result in a constant need to be dependent on the Holy Spirit for empowerment and direction. I think that's where He wants us to be. Stretched beyond what we can handle on our own and reaching aggressively towards the territory He has commanded us to take.
It is when we are "poured out as a drink offering" as Paul was that we find "strength in weakness." But unless we are stretching to our point of weakness, we may not discover His strength and power sustaining and empowering us.
What think you? Am I way off on this one?
posted by Andrew Cromwell at
7:06 PM
1 Comments:
This was a timely topic for me - thanks. I'm feeling the 'ouch' of stretching to weakness. I'm now motivated to see and seek God in all of these challenges. Who doesn't need a constant reminder of dependence? Good stuff.
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