He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”
Acts 1:6-8 The Message Bible
Timing is the Father’s business
God the Father has a time frame, and everything operates according to it. The Old Testament poetry book of Ecclesiastes describes it this way:
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 New Living Translation
Christ’s followers asked Jesus about the end of time, to which Jesus replied—that is the Father’s business.
To worry about what may, could, or will happen at a point in time is often a lesson in frustration. It does not mean that you are not to plan, but even in the planning, the Old Testament book of Proverbs says that man (the species—male/female) but God gives you the ability to carry it out.
A close personal relationship helps you to understand that waiting (a matter of time) is healthy.
I watched a program with a scene of an Indian sitting under a cluster of trees, just waiting. As I watched the scene unfold, I realized that waiting was an acceptable part of life for most of human history.
“Waiting” on God (although bothersome) will produce positive plans in your life.
You get the Holy Spirit
After addressing the time issue, Jesus told his followers they would receive the Holy Spirit. As the active agent of the Godhead on earth, the Holy Spirit is a central figure in a close personal relationship with the Godhead.
Books have been written on works and person of the Holy Spirit. The adversary, the devil, has used religion to confuse the significance of the third person of the Godhead by relegating your experience with God, the Holy Spirit, to a language (called unknown tongues in the Bible).
The Bible says that there is proof of the indwelling Holy Spirit, that is, the ability to speak in a language that you did not naturally acquire, but God, the Holy Spirit, is very much God, and building a relationship with him is not only prudent for a Christ-follower, but it is also essential.
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was released following his ascension, and the New Testament writer, Paul, says that asking for the Holy Spirit is how you receive him. Because of this, some evidence that he has answered your request makes sense. However, his experience is not the evidence but rather tangible proof.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. I will pass it along as I learn so you, too, can learn. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn.