MAY 2017
A LIVING HOPE
Posted by: District Elder Bill Anker

 

Philippians 3: 20-21  “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

Forty days after Easter, Ascension Day appears.  It goes largely unnoticed, especially in North America, as it occurs on a Thursday, and all the Easter celebrations have long passed.

Except for us!!!  It is a day of remembrance for us, as well as a day of anticipation.  Just as our Lord Jesus left us, He shall return, and we shall also be transfigured into His glorious image.  The day the Lord Jesus returns to take His own is a day mentioned often in scripture.  This is a day that is set aside for us, a day that we pray for, prepare for, and continually hear of.  In fact, it is one of the primary responsibilities of the Apostle’s Ministry to prepare us for this day!!!

When we refer to the gospel of Luke, the last few verses speak of the Lord’s Ascension and the reaction of the eleven disciples to it.  They worshiped Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God.  The fear, anguish, and despair evident just weeks earlier had been changed into a living hope, from which joy, and then strength, could spring.  They waited in eager anticipation for the appearance of the Holy Spirit.

As for us, we are also people of the promise.  As such, we also set aside our fear, our anguish, and our despair.  We actively pursue our presence in God’s house.  We prepare ourselves for our future; continually sharing the joy with our fellow brothers and sisters, our friends, and our neighbours.  We await the fulfilment of our promise; we certainly do have it good! 

Come Lord Jesus!

 

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Passiontide   |    Sharing faith across generations   |    Prayer works   |    Close of the year   |    Christmas   |    Thanksgiving   |    Action de grâces   |    Learning and growing   |    The communion of the Holy Spirit   |    A living faith   |    Pentecost 2023   |    The love of God   |    Passiontide   |    Pillars: Shining for God   |    Older and powerful in Christ   |    Closing of the year   |    Christmas peace   |    Loving gratitude   |    Action de grâces   |    Thanksgiving   |    Back to school   |