At the end of his Gospel, Luke reminds his community that this isn’t the end of the story. Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and left his disciples with a promise. He reminded the community – us – that God keeps God’s promises even when it seems impossible.
As we celebrate the Ascension, we rejoice with hope in the glory of the risen Christ, not because all is well but because all is not well. We trust in God’s promises not because of our own faith or determination or strength, but because of God’s grace and faithfulness and promises to hold us always.
We are still waiting for (some of) God’s promises. We’re still waiting for a new heaven and a new earth, for that glorious day when death will be no more, when mourning and crying and pain will be no more. This tension is what we remember and celebrate in the Ascension – that the crucified, risen and ascended Christ’s work is still happening among us. Even when it seems impossible, God keeps God’s promises. God’s faithfulness holds us always.
This message is excerpted from “Audacious faith” by Hannah Hawkinson in the May/June 2022 Gather magazine. Today is the Ascension of our Lord. Today we commemorate Jiri Tranovsky, hymnwriter, 1637.
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