“Is now the time that you will restore the kingdom to Israel, Lord?…Are we there yet?…Is now when justice will be served, when wrong will be made right, when suffering will end?” The disciples this question in today’s passage from Acts 1:1-11. The Rev. Dr. Kristin Adkins Whitesides, pastor of First Baptist Church, Winchester, Virginia, reminds us that we are just like the disciples, often looking at the endpoint instead of living in the here and now. The disciples had been through so much. The end must be in sight, right? Instead, Jesus tells them, “No. We aren’t there yet. We still have a long way to go.” Whitesides reminds us that Jesus did not leave the disciples with that uncertainty. Jesus told them, “Even in the midst of your uncertainty. Even in the midst of your questions. Even in the midst of your discomfort you should know this: God has a plan for you. God has things for you to do, even as you wait! In fact, God is going to use you to bless the world!” So instead of asking, “Are we there yet?”, Whitesides invites us to join God on the journey and enjoy the ride!
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