Friday Five

Part of the Ascension Day Scripture from Acts 11 contains this promise from Jesus;

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

Then he was taken from their sight into the clouds, two angels appeared and instructed the probably bewildered disciples to go back to Jerusalem, where they began to wait and to pray for the gift Jesus had promised.

Prayer is a joy to some of us, and a chore to others, waiting likewise can be filled with anticipation or anxiety....

So how do you wait and pray?

1. How do you pray best, alone or with others?
I pray best alone, but have to admit I can be eloquent when I pray aloud in a corporate worship. In that sense I often wonder about the sincerity of the prayer when I am trying to be eloquent. I wonder that about others too, so I become cynical.

2. Do you enjoy the discipline of waiting, is it a time of anticipation or anxiety?
I think I am pretty good at waiting and love surprises so the anticipation is great for me in most things.

3. Is there a time when you have waited upon God for a specific promise?
Still am. But I won't tell, the anticipation is wonderful.

4. Do you prefer stillness or action?
I prefer to be busy. But I do enjoy the moments of solitude when I sit, listen, enjoy my surroundings. I love sitting at a lake, in a canoe, reading a book and floating. I am busy with reading but still on the water. I love being on a mountain skiing down and stop to enjoy the view. I am busy skiing but still in the moment.

5. If you were promised one gift spiritual or otherwise what would you choose to recieve?
Patience. I don't ever ask for it as it makes me crazy to want it right now, but if I could be even better at patience, I would notice.

(quotations and questions borrowed from a blog I love to read: http://lutheranchiklworddiary.blogspot.com/)