I love the story repeated
in the Gospels and Acts of how the disciples
went to the mountain Jesus had told them to
go and there He met with them and encouraged
them, then ascended into the heavens. The disciples
just stood there dumbstruck, and angels had
to appear and tell them what Jesus told them
to do. It was a mystical moment. I would have
loved to have been there. Even at a moment like
this the scripture tells us that there were
doubters among them.
I don’t think I would be among the doubters, but I confess I would definitely
be among the dumbstruck. I don’t fully take in all that God reveals to
me. I’m not sure if it is my lack of faith, my lack of paying attention
to the things of God, or simply my preoccupation with myself and how this is
going to affect my life and the needs I think I have. Anyway, I know I miss out
on all that God is doing. Perhaps it is my finite mind and the reality that I
can’t fully comprehend God until I am changed more fully into His likeness.
Somehow Paul, who wasn’t present at the ascension, was given some heavenly
insights into more of what happened that day. We read in Ephesians 4:7-13:
“But to each one
of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned
it. This is why it says: When he ascended
on high, he led captives in his train and
gave gifts to men. (What does "he ascended" mean
except that he also descended to the lower,
earthly regions? He who descended is the very
one who ascended higher than all the heavens,
in order to fill the whole universe.) It was
he who gave some to be apostles, some to be
prophets, some to be evangelists, and some
to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's
people for works of service, so that the body
of Christ may be built up until we all reach
unity in the faith and in the knowledge of
the Son of God and become mature, attaining
to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Paul connected the ascension
he was told about and Psalms 68:18. He was able
to show us that Jesus blessed us and sent us
out into the world to preach the gospel with
gifts that he gave to us when He ascended on
high. All of that was happening to t he dumbstruck
disciples. They were not only being blessed
and instructed, but they were also being given
gifts that they would need to do the work God
has given them to do. (There’s also a
lot more he did like leading captives in his
train and descending to the lower earth! What’s
that all about?)
Do you see what I mean? There is so much more
to God than what we think we see. I need to
remember that when I see just what I see. I
need to practice the discipline of not judging
God, my circumstances or my faith by what I
see, think and feel. I need to remember that
God is more mysterious than I can imagine and
find peace in His goodness. That is what I know
for sure. He is good and He would never ask
anything that is not good for me—even
if I can’t see it at the time.
