Thought for the Dsy - Wednesday 12 May 2021

Thought for Wednesday 12 May From Jenny Rankin, Wrangholm   Luke 24: 50-51  Acts1: 10-11  He then led them out of the city over to Bethany. Raising his hands, he blessed them, and while blessing them, made his exit, being carried up to heaven. These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans! Why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.” I couldn’t make up my mind about today’s reading, so you got both. The reading from Acts could almost be part of the Gospel of Luke, in fact it was written by Luke. Tomorrow is Ascension Day, the day Jesus went home. Jesus was not reincarnated, nor did He come back as a ghost. He was resurrected! Brought back to life from dead! Fully alive in the same form as He had died. He did not die again! He ascended into heaven. He was lifted up by the power of God.  My thought is just as we would lift our own child into our arms when they had been hurt, so God lifted His son. The ascension is important to Christians because It shows that Jesus really did overcome death – he wasn’t resurrected to live for a while then die again, He is still alive! For Christians, the fact that Jesus’ followers witnessed him rising into the clouds leaves no doubt that Jesus is alive and with God the Father in Heaven. He is no longer limited to living on Earth. This image brings to mind the time when God was in the cloud that led Israel through the desert. Was He also in the cloud Jesus ascended into? The ascension demonstrates God’s omnipotence. In other translations of Acts 1: 10-11 the men in white said, “This Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go to heaven.” When Jesus comes back He will not be walking down the street telling people he is Jesus. He won’t be on a soapbox preaching his return. When Jesus returns it will be ‘The same way’ that He went. Coming down from a cloud. Will we all be ready for that day, even if it comes tomorrow? Prayer Loving Father, we earnestly ask that You help us to prepare for the return of Your Son, Jesus. We know only too well that we are weak and easily distracted. Help us to recognise the imposters who try to divert us from the path set by Jesus so that we do not lose that home He is preparing for us. Amen