Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God. [Luke 24:50-53 (NLT)]

Today, forty days after Easter, is Ascension Day. Instead of celebrating Jesus’ return to His disciples as we did nearly six weeks ago, we celebrate His departure from them. Unlike most partings, however, this was not a sad farewell but rather a joyous one. The message Jesus left His disciples (and us) is one of hope and reassurance: all is well and we are not alone. The Holy Spirit remains with us.

The disciples didn’t just stand there and wait for His return and neither should we. He gave us all a job to do until that day comes.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” [Acts 1:8-11 (NLT)]