Gawking at the Sky

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? (Acts 1:8-11)

Well, why do you think? Jesus had just given them the most significant, challenging, important and life altering job assignment they would ever receive. He was talking about power, Holy Spirit, Samaria, witnessing, Judea and suddenly, He was gone. Whoosh. Like a David Copperfield magic act, Jesus was gone. Was He coming back? When would He appear again? What were the disciples supposed to do next? Wait? Leave? What?

For the disciples, Jesus’ sudden disappearance was just one more strange event in the series of strange events of the past two months.

1. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Disciples think: woohoo…we are in good with this extremely popular guy who is going to rule Israel and conquer the Romans!)
2. Jesus’ death on the cross and burial in a borrowed tomb (Disciples think: oh no…we don’t really want to be seen with this guy.)
3. Jesus rises from the dead (Disciples think: Having a hard time with this.)
4. Jesus appears now here, then there, sometimes to one, sometimes to all, for forty days. (Disciples wonder: Are you staying?)

The context of the particular incident is a conversation between Jesus and the disciples. The disciples were thinking about power and ruling over the Romans, the restoration of a kingdom. They wanted to know times and dates. They wanted everything to happen now. Jesus just patiently answers, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.” (One can almost feel the spirits of the disciples sag as Jesus said this.)

Imagine what was going through the minds of the disciples as He was saying this. Jesus was talking about power from the Holy Spirit, being His witnesses. He told them they were going to go into Samaria. Samaria. What was that about? No one even walked through Samaria. They had always been taught to walk around Samaria. Besides, Samaria was a good five days of hard walking. Then, to make matters more complicated and confusing, Jesus told them they would go to the ends of the earth, wherever THAT was. And how long would it take for them to walk there? They needed to know, because, as far as they understood, once they had gone to the ends of the earth, He would restore the kingdom of Israel. And now, before He could tell them just how far the ends of the earth was, suddenly, He was just somewhere else.

Why wouldn’t they be staring intently at the sky? I picture the disciples with their heads up, gawking up at the sky where they had just seen Jesus ascend, with their mouths hanging open, in a rather undignified fashion.

Recently, my husband and I felt called by God to start a new ministry necessitating our leaving a very safe and comfortable job. We have four children one of whom is about to be launched to university. A home with a mortgage. And we like to eat. We have had jobs as a project manager, lawyer, pastor. Now He was calling us to something totally different. This was the biggest assignment of our lives. There was the rush of the excitement of the new calling, the fears of leaving the familiar, the pain of change and transition, the joy of confirmation in the call and then, suddenly, he was hidden from our sight. A cloud hid Him from what we could see. Confusion immediately swept in like a flood. What? Jesus, where are you? Was that you? Did you really say these things to us? If so, then where are you now?

Beloved, have you ever felt like Jesus was hidden from your sight by a cloud? Maybe when you have gone through a painful situation. Perhaps the job for which you moved across three states and yanked your children out of school just laid you off. Perhaps you have been betrayed by your spouse. There could be any myriad of circumstances that would have you confused, bewildered, angry, disappointed, or just plain lonely, abandoned even.

I can remember when we were about two months into the new thing and I was staring intently at the sky, as if staring at the sky would force Jesus to appear, hold my hand and assure me all was well. As if looking at the sky with intensity and anticipation would force His hand. I wasn’t waiting for His instruction, it was His presence that I wanted. Then the Lord, in that wonderful still, voice of His reminded me of one truth: I am with you. I'm in the cloud.

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22)

Regardless of our feeling of abandonment, of desperate aloneness, of confusion, bewilderment, the truth is God is present. He has promised us: "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8 He’ll never leave us, but sometimes He may hide within the cloud. The very cloud which hides Him from our feeble fleshly eyes, is the cloud wherein He dwells. Don’t despise the cloud. Don’t curse the cloud which hides Him from your view. The cloud is actually the sign of His presence with you. Follow the last instruction He gave, remember His promise to never leave you, and don’t just stand there, gawking at the sky.