The Ascension

Read Acts 1:1-11

Roslyn Catracchia

This short passage explains a lot to me about how the apostles had the courage to face all of
what they would soon be facing. Life had been both exciting and difficult for all of them up
until this point. But for many of them, the difficulties would increase exponentially - some to
the point of death. They would die for what they believed. What would give them so much
faith that they would be willing to die for such a cause, for such a Person, for such a belief?

Much of their faith-building, in my opinion, is revealed right here in these eleven verses.
They had all witnessed Jesus’ death and burial. Yet after He died, He came back to walk, talk,
teach, and eat among them for 40 days. That couldn’t have been a dream – in that all of them
experienced Him among them. They all remembered the same thing.

While they still did not understand fully that Jesus was coming for a much bigger reason than
just to “restore the kingdom to Israel” (1:6), the promise of the Holy Spirit that would soon
come upon them helps me to understand that their spirit eyes weren’t fully opened yet; they
were still hoping and expecting things of this world. Today, we have the gracious gift of the
Holy Spirit to help us through our lives — to teach us, to guide us, and to strengthen us.

So the apostles and disciples reach the end of their 40 days with Jesus. Just imagine – 40 days!
Interesting that Jesus had spent 40 days being tempted in the desert earlier in His time on
earth… Israelites wandered 40 years in the desert… I really DO need to talk with one of our
pastors about what the 40 might signify! At the end of this time, Jesus ascends into heaven
and right before their very eyes!!! I can only imagine the memory of all this and the fact they
were eyewitnesses gave them all the strength to endure the persecutions they were all to face
from this time on.

P R AY E R
Heavenly Father, thank You for walking with us even today. Thank You for caring for each and
every one of us, and for working in our lives each day. Just as Mary had done from the time
the angel first visited Jesus, may we all treasure up all of these things and ponder them in our
hearts (Luke 2:19). In Christ’s name, Amen.
 DAY 70

QUESTIONS
Has God done some amazing things in your life?

Has He answered a prayer that could only be considered miraculous?

Do the memories of those answered prayers and experiences give you faith to get through
the more difficult times?

Do the memories of those experiences give you more faith to ask again or to maybe step out
with greater boldness the next time?

MY REFLECTIONS
Does any particular verse (SCRIPTURE) in today’s reading speak to you?

OBSERVE what this verse is saying to you:

How can you APPLY this verse to your life today?

My PRAYER for today is: