“When Jesus told the disciples to go and tarry in Jerusalem, he didn’t tell that to the women.
But they went any way. They wanted to be in on what God was about to do. They knew they could pray, so they jumped in there to help carry the load.”
-Barry Rackley
When the women saw the disciples preparing to go to Jerusalem, where they would be filled with the Holy Ghost, I can only imagine the things that went through their mind.
Maybe they hurried to pack up their own belongings, and grab some food, and grab the children’s hands and hurry down the road behind their husbands.
Maybe they were afraid of what Jerusalem might hold, but they chose to go anyway.
Maybe they thought if the many times they had listen to the very voice of Jesus, and wondered what he had in store in Jerusalem.
Maybe they craved that closeness to Jesus that they had experienced as he walked the earth, and they felt so empty without him with them.
They weren’t there when Jesus told the disciples to go to Jerusalem. But they knew Jesus loved them, and they wanted to be a part of whatever the future held.
They didn’t wait for an invitation.
They didn’t need one.
He had already broke every cultural stigma of that time period, and invited them into everything else. He called them by name, he let them wash his feet with their hair, he spoke to them as they sat as his feet. He let them touch the hem of his garment. He wrote love letters in the sand when the rest of the world wanted him to throw stones.
The veil had been torn at the temple, inviting them ALL in.
Why would he not want them to also go to Jerusalem and pray?
So, they followed.
They made their way from all of their different walks of life, some with children in tow, others alone. And gathered in that upper room.
They weren’t divided.
It’s rare for women to get together and not be divided on something. But they put it all aside, because they were there to pray. They were there in obedience. They were there to be a part of whatever Jesus wanted for them next.
And when the Holy Spirit came, he came and filled them too.
They chose to labor in prayer, without a command or formal invitation, and they reaped the rewards. When the Holy Ghost arrived, he filled them ALL. They were ALL in one mind and one accord.
Stop waiting for an invitation.
Stop waiting for the Lord to call you by name.
Those women didn’t have a new command from heaven, so they chose to do the next right thing, they chose to get involved in the ministry that was in motion.
Sometimes you just need to do the next right thing.
Sometimes it’s laying aside your flesh so you can watch and pray in unity.
Sometimes it’s simply getting involved, even if there was no formal invitation.
Sometimes it’s just seeing a need, and filling the need.
The veil was torn, inviting us ALL in.
Serving isn’t complicated.
Just do the next right thing.
Lay down your need to be noticed, asked, invited.
Because if you cling to that need for an invitation, you may just miss the next big move of the Lord. Don’t rob yourself of his glory, because you’re too busy clinging to yours.
Acts 2:1-4
“ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
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