Faith and love

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”Acts 1:10

Oh Lord,

Thank you for dying on the cross for me

for taking my guilt and shame

shedding your blood

taking the blows of the Roman guards

blows that were meant for me

Oh Lord,

the moment those same guards took your lifeless body 

off that cross

and placed it in a cave 

with instructions for rolling a heavy rock in place

a rock no one thought could ever be removed

a rock that would forever put to rest this thorn in their side

this Jesus thing

who was threatening the very Roman elite

For 3 days that stone remained in place

while the once followers of this Christ

lamented if they had made a mistake

playing the 'what if' game

wondering how they could have been fooled

Then on the third day, the stone had been rolled away

supernaturally rolled away

This once dead Jesus ascended  and 

dwelt among us

opening the eyes of his followers

He appeared to them for 40 days 

giving them convincing truths that He was alive

Jesus talked about the kingdom of God

His final words were

It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; 

and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, 

and to the ends of the earth

After he said this, 

he was taken up before their very eyes,

and a cloud hid him from their sight

Jesus has risen!

He has become our hope

He conquers death

once and for all

Where Jesus is, he's preparing a place for us

He sent his Holy Spirit to believers

to whisper words of hope in times of trouble

to encourage our souls in times of strife

Jesus is our hope!