So, Easter is over, and Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, and He has appeared to the disciples, and now they’re all waiting. It is the terrible-awful interim period between His glorious resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

This time period is upon us in many ways, not just in the 50 days of waiting for the Pentecostal promise. We’re all living in some kind of “waiting period.” Too often it is a negative time, like waiting for “the next shoe to drop.” It’s extremely uncomfortable. We don’t like it, and we’d just as soon get it over with.

Peter felt this same discomfort and impatiently said, “I’m going fishing” (John 21.3). His response came in that terrible-awful time. It wasn’t so much that he and his fellow disciples hadn’t been inspired by their Master’s resurrection. They had. They were overcome with wonder and joy. No. It was more of a natural human need for stimulation.

When my grandson went fishing with a friend and myself, we weren’t catching any fish. He said, “I’m bored.” Then we started catching fish, and he said, “I’m not bored anymore.” Yes, waiting is a difficult activity. We want action.

The interim, the time of waiting, the season of our own impatience, can easily overcome our positive advancement. Yet, this waiting time, can be a time of great benefit. For many religions around the world, the interim between promise and glory is just that: a time of fruitful, meditative advancement in spiritual maturity.

Just maybe the greatest power of the resurrection is now, in the interim, when we’re waiting. Maybe this time is not so awful as it is a blessing because we’re force to think about it.

Related posts:

1. When the Music Stops
2. Going Home