The Ascension of the Lord

When they had gathered together they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

Things in our lives don’t always go as we imagined them and sometimes that is a good thing. The disciples of Christ were so concerned about restoring the kingdom of Israel, they were blinding themselves to other possibilities. We do this, too. And it is by the grace of God that our eyes are opened through the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. His guidance can show us a new way we haven’t considered before, one which will give us a greater power for good and make us more effective witnesses of our faith. The restoration of God’s Kingdom on earth isn’t something we can control or predict. All we can do is to prepare for God’s coming, doing everything we can to be ready for the day when Jesus will return and usher in a new age of everlasting life with him.

What isn’t going as planned in our lives? Have we thanked God for these obstacles and asked Him to show us the way to a better life? How can we become better witnesses to the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Jesus Christ?

O Lord, we look forward to your return.

Amen.