Day 1
ASCENSION DAY
Jesus is Lord
Revelation 1:4-5
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
‘Is anyone there?’
Nobody answers the phone.
There is no response to the knock at the door.
The text message goes unanswered.
The drums sound but nobody comes.
‘Is anyone there?’ In a world where there is so much anger and violence, persecution and injustice, separation and loneliness where, in so many places, women are mistreated, and children are orphaned or abused; it is very natural, when we come to pray to ask the question, ‘Is anyone there?’
The fact is that the devastating impact of evil has not changed very much since John, in exile on the Greek island of Patmos, had the visions which we see in the book Revelation. Terrorists have replaced Roman armies; but the raids on villages, the abductions, death and destruction are much the same. The weapons have changed but the horrors of evil remain the same.
So, it is to us, as it was to the Christians in the province of Asia (modern-day Turkey) that these words come. They are words not simply from an Apostle in exile but from the throne of heaven! And there is good news.
There is someone there!
Anglican Consultative Council service, Ghana
That is the great assurance of today’s verses. Some of the Christians for whom John wrote knew persecution, imprisonment, and the prospect of death for their faith in Jesus. There was the temptation to give up because being a Christian seemed so out of step with the culture.
The one who is indeed there: Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, speaks to his people words of grace and peace, encouragement and challenge, comfort and correction. This is the same Jesus who does not change, he is ‘the same yesterday, today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8).
There is an African proverb which says, ‘The eagle only dares to take the hen’s chick, the lion cub has no worries’. A young lion does not have to be afraid of the eagle because the eagle is afraid of the cub’s father. As we remember who we are ‘in Christ’, confidence replaces fear.
As John sees ‘heaven opened’ the reassuring picture is that we are addressed by the God who made us and everything, the Lord who shared our life, died in our place and rose in victory over death, the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised to all who believe in Him.
Over the course of these next days, think of five people who are on your heart and who you can be praying for as we journey together. As we pray for our five people today, we bring them to this amazing God who know and loves them. In His love and His will there is eternal peace.
Paul