Take one beautiful day with puffy white clouds floating in a turquoise sky and my wife Dorcas will say something like, “Oh! Look how beautiful that cloud is. I can just about see Jesus coming back in it.”
Luke by the Holy Spirit in Acts 1 records the disciples witnessing the ascension of Christ until a cloud “received Him out of their sight.” Just like we would, they continued to stare upward until an angel said, “this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
This is just part of the blessed hope every true Christian treasures within. It is not a fabricated story to “explain” why we presently do not see Jesus, but a necessity of the will of God toward man to accomplish a number of things like the perfection of faith (John 20:29), the cleansing of heaven (Hebrews 9:22-24), and the fulfillment of prophecy (Jude 14-15, Revelation 19:11-16).
While much can, and should be, theologically said about the ascension, I feel compelled by the Spirit to bring encouragement to true believers, and a call to commitment to those who are not truly trusting Christ, with the following.
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”–Colossians 3:1-2.
Those that are truly born-again have Christ within them, partake of His vicarious life, suffering, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. So when I see a beautiful cloud, I think of the fact that not only shall He return, but He is also present in trouble.
Our human nature does not want trouble. However, a growing Christian will know that each cloud of trial brings hope. Though we are physically in this world, we are called to live above our sinful nature which is so prone to respond to trouble in ways that are displeasing to God.
We can only be ascended with Christ as much as we permit ourselves to enter into His death (Galatians 2:20). The deeper we choose to be in Christ, the higher we soar in victory.
It takes us trusting Him. When we sense we do not trust Him as we must, we need to humbly approach His throne and ask His help that we may deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.
Consider trust as the key to unlock faith. The best one to trust, and the only One we should fully trust, is Jesus Christ. If you have not already done so, fully commit to Christ and learn that, if we let Him, He can use any cloud of burden that darkens our lives to bring us His presence and blessing.
Thank you for reminding us of this hope. I wonder how long the disciples would have stood there looking at the cloud if the angel hadn’t come and told them basically to get back to work. It won’t do for us to find a hilltop and gaze into the sky, waiting for Christ’s return. He gave us some work to do in the meantime.