Jesus Reigns
After he (Jesus) said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Acts 1:9
Maybe the thing most of us remember about the ascension of Jesus is the unusual way He returned to heaven. When I first learned about it in Confirmation, my friends and I thought it was like Captain Kirk being beamed up to the Enterprise on Star Trek. Boy, did we miss the point!
The ascension of Jesus is not simply about how He left earth, but why it matters that He did. Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus returned to the Father in glory. His work of salvation was complete. He had conquered sin and death, and now He reigns as Lord over all things. The ascension reminds believers that Jesus is alive, ruling, reigning and still caring for His people today.
It also gives us hope. Jesus did not abandon His followers when He ascended. Instead, He promised the Holy Spirit and assured His disciples that He would one day return. Because Christ reigns in heaven, believers can live with confidence, knowing that our Savior intercedes for us and prepares a place for us in eternity.
The ascension calls us to lift our eyes beyond the troubles of this world and remember where our true hope is found, in the risen and reigning Christ.
Lord Jesus, thank You for completing the work of our salvation and reigning in glory. Help us to trust that You are with us always, guiding and strengthening us through Your Spirit. Lift our hearts toward heaven and keep us faithful as we wait for Your return. Amen.