Acts 1:9-11

(9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. (10) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; (11)Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

I’ve spoken on this before about Heaven being a place that is “up”. It is an obvious consistency in the scriptures…but as I reflect back on the scripture again I see something more…

This single word, “up”, represents being kingdom minded. To think upward is to be directed by God towards the direction of Heaven. Isn’t that how we are supposed to think? Aren’t we always to be conscious of God in our life? Maybe thinking upward means being kingdom minded in our thinking, our theology, our heart, our spirit, in holiness, and on and on…

However, let us not gaze too long towards heaven that we aren’t about our earthly duties. Here is a great lesson also being taught…The disciples were watching and witnessing this entire event. It was awe inspiring. It was supernatural. Men don’t fly…birds do…and yet here is the Lord Jesus being received by the clouds. They wanted to just stay and watch…even after the moment was over. Jesus was their single most important friend for the past 3 years. They traveled with him, slept many nights right by him, and shared the same food. Being around Christ was life altering. Who can blame them for wanting to stay in the moment? Who can blame them for wanting Christ just to fix His eyes on them one more time and bid them come? (Can you see Peter waiting for Christ to say something as He ascends?) But…the angels corrected them by reminding them that another day shall come when they will see Him again.

And here is the thing…

I wonder sometimes if I am guilty of that. I am scared that there will be a time where I will gaze for too long and miss what could have been…because I was too busy chasing what was. Jesus was gone…and if the disciples had just stayed their gazing, they never would’ve experience the “rushing mighty wind” that was about to happen. This is often the death of great ministries and great believers. They are lost daydreaming and gazing at what was instead of looking forward to what can be.

“Lord…let me look upward and forward to what lays ahead of me. Let me celebrate the past and the present, but give me the strength and hop to embrace the adventure of the future. Amen”