Ascension!

“Up from the grave He arose,
with a mighty triumph oe’r His foes.”

It’s “V day” for Christians, and as is often the case for me, I wish I was able to feel the excitement more. I find it easier to believe much of the New Testament account of Jesus up to the news of the resurrection, but then the story is beyond what I can imagine. It is a comfort to me however, that the apostles and other disciples who were there at the time, apparently had the same problem as I do - incredulity. Which is, I suppose, why belief must be a matter of grace.

In early January of this year we received some very sad news. Joshua, the one year old son of friends in Kenya, had died. He was often sick during his short life and I think the medical people in Kenya were not much help. Joshua was the only son of Joel and Elizabeth, and of course boys are particularly important to Africans. I prayed for them, and as I prayed I thought for some reason of Isaiah. He also might have been praying about the death of King Uzziah. And as he did, he was given a wonderful revelation - "the Lord high and lifted up. And His robe filled the temple". It’s one of the great word pictures in the Bible. Can’t you just see it in your mind! Awesome!

Now I have read, that when an Old Testament king conquered an opponent, he cut off the end of the opponent’s robe and attached it to the end of his own. Which is why the Lord’s robe was so long. It was so long that it filled the temple! And as I prayed for Joel and Elizabeth, I was assured of this. A piece of death’s robe is attached to the train of the Lord! Death was conquered by Jesus on the cross, and He rose victorious! And so Joshua is with the Lord, as is my oldest daughter Tracy, my other loved ones, and yours. And soon we’ll be with Him too.
That's the meaning of V day. And, now I'm excited! And I hope you are too.