What a difference 40 days makes! On Easter morning, Mark recorded that the women fled from the empty tomb, telling nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Forty days later, on Ascension Day, everything changes! From now on no matter what we face, God never abandons us, never leaves us alone. Jesus has sent his disciples to preach his good news to all creation. He has put his name on us at our baptism, promising that whoever believes and is baptised shall be saved. He has reclined with us at the table, feeding us with his body and his blood for the forgiveness of all our sins.
God won’t abandon us. How do we know? Jesus was taken into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God.
And yet, how often does the Ascension Gospel get bumped from our minds? How often do we forget that Jesus now sits in majesty, reigning at the right hand of God?How often do other things take over and leave us sad, moping, and despairing? Does God love me? Does he forgive even me with all my sins? Why doesn’t anyone else understand me? Why is it that things go wrong? Why is it that I just don’t fit in?
Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. So, we don’t need to despair anymore! Whatever else is true about you and God, this is the most sure: The one who died on the cross, who rose on Easter morning, now sits at the right hand of God for you. Everything that God does, he does through his Right Hand for your good. Jesus is there for you: your friend, your advocate, your high priest, and your Saviour.
With Jesus at the right hand of the Father, there is no power, no event, no authority in heaven, on earth, anywhere, that can throw back on us the sins we have committed, so that we do not need to despair ever again.
How is God toward me? He ascended to the right hand of my Heavenly Father. What a difference 40 days makes!
Bishop Gavin
Risen Christ,
you have raised our human nature to the throne of heaven:
help us to seek and serve you,
that we may join you at the Father’s side,
where you reign with the Spirit in glory,
now and for ever.
Amen