Thoughts for the Day

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’......

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Leaving friends and moving away is always difficult. Not to see friends regularly, to drop in for a cup of tea, or to ask for their help when needed, or to be with those who know us well, are just part of the things we miss when we leave them.

How much more bereft must the disciples have been when Jesus left them at his Ascension. They had seen his death, and then his miraculous resurrection. They must have thought he was back for the long-term, but now Jesus is leaving for good. He promises to send the Holy Spirit, that will give them power to continue his work across Judea and Samaria as well as across the whole world. But we might wonder if this promise made up for the fact that he was leaving?

However, we know that it was necessary for Jesus to return to the Father, to send the third part of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to give the disciples the power that would change them from leaderless men into evangelists able to take the Gospel to the whole world. And of course they were not to lose Jesus, for He would still be supporting them always!

When challenges occur we too need to remember that Jesus is there to support us, and we need to lean on the power of the Holy Spirit to help us through them difficult times. We are never alone!

Lord Jesus Christ,
when You left Your disciples
You promised to send the Holy Spirit
to enable them to continue Your work
of spreading Your message of love
to the world.
Give us that assurance and power
to cope with challenges,
and continue Your work in our own world.
Amen.