Waiting

 How much of our lives is spent waiting in queues of one sort of another; the bus stop, the supermarket checkout, the ATM. Or just waiting; on the platform for the train, the time between ordering them meal and its arrival. 

The worst is surely the airport, with its different waits to check in, get through security, to board, and that dead time when the doors are closed, and nothing seems to happen for ages, before the aircraft trundles off, again to wait in a queue for take-off. 

But today our waiting-ten days since the Ascension- is rewarded; waiting, just as Jesus told his disciples not to leave the city until the father's gift of the Spirit was given. Waiting can sometimes be a disappointment, but this gift of God's Spirit completely overtook the disciples, bowled them out into the streets full of pilgrims for the harvest celebration of Pentecost, to tell of the love of God for all. 

Anglican sensibilities will expect something less dramatic this morning, but the prayer 'Come, Holy Spirit' will be made, that God will energise again his faithful people, into the action that is always needed in one form or another after waiting.