The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 1:6-11,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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“So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’"
People call this the ascension of Jesus Christ. It is the event when Jesus returned to heaven following his coming to earth, his life, ministry, atoning death and resurrection. Peter tells us he will remain in heaven until the time God brings to end this existence we are familiar with, “He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets”, Acts 3:21.
I’m not sure just what it is - but there is something about the ascension of Jesus Christ that grips me. I don’t know if it’s that I see his ascension signals the completion of all his objectives in coming to planet earth, or the obvious satisfaction of our Heavenly Father in what Jesus accomplished. Possibly it is that I know Jesus is interceding for me before our Heavenly Father right in his presence, (“Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us”, Romans 8:34b.)
Maybe what grips me most about this scene of the ascension of Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives is the momentary joining of the physical realm with that of the heavenly. At some point the two meet – the two touch at least for an instant as Jesus passes from one to the other.
As I think about this, I think of the impact heaven can have on the creation as God is doing things. Hearing that Jesus is going to return in the same way as he ascended in clouds makes me think of what the sky might look like on that day. A day when heaven joins earth again. Not just for an instant this time but for all eternity as Jesus Christ returns to planet earth for his own and sets up his throne in Jerusalem! What a day that will be! We read in Scripture that all will see him as he returns. No need to go here or go there to find out. Jesus Christ’s return will be emblazoned in the sky; all eyes will be riveted on him as he descends in the clouds to take his throne.
Amy shared with us the photos of the cloud formations as Katrina hit the gulf coast. The scenes were just breathtaking and made her think of the return of Jesus Christ. She got me to thinking… I wonder what those cloud formations looked like as Jesus rose in the sky at his ascension? I wonder what those cloud formations will look like as he returns… ?
People call this the ascension of Jesus Christ. It is the event when Jesus returned to heaven following his coming to earth, his life, ministry, atoning death and resurrection. Peter tells us he will remain in heaven until the time God brings to end this existence we are familiar with, “He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets”, Acts 3:21.
I’m not sure just what it is - but there is something about the ascension of Jesus Christ that grips me. I don’t know if it’s that I see his ascension signals the completion of all his objectives in coming to planet earth, or the obvious satisfaction of our Heavenly Father in what Jesus accomplished. Possibly it is that I know Jesus is interceding for me before our Heavenly Father right in his presence, (“Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us”, Romans 8:34b.)
Maybe what grips me most about this scene of the ascension of Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives is the momentary joining of the physical realm with that of the heavenly. At some point the two meet – the two touch at least for an instant as Jesus passes from one to the other.
As I think about this, I think of the impact heaven can have on the creation as God is doing things. Hearing that Jesus is going to return in the same way as he ascended in clouds makes me think of what the sky might look like on that day. A day when heaven joins earth again. Not just for an instant this time but for all eternity as Jesus Christ returns to planet earth for his own and sets up his throne in Jerusalem! What a day that will be! We read in Scripture that all will see him as he returns. No need to go here or go there to find out. Jesus Christ’s return will be emblazoned in the sky; all eyes will be riveted on him as he descends in the clouds to take his throne.
Amy shared with us the photos of the cloud formations as Katrina hit the gulf coast. The scenes were just breathtaking and made her think of the return of Jesus Christ. She got me to thinking… I wonder what those cloud formations looked like as Jesus rose in the sky at his ascension? I wonder what those cloud formations will look like as he returns… ?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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