It's not over.

I find that I keep returning to thoughts of the followers of Jesus in the last days of his life on the earth. I think it's easy to read the red and black letters of the bible detailing these final days of what took place with Jesus and His friends and just see a factual account of final things. I am drawn to consider the heart ripping days of living that these friends encountered. It was not a factual time for them. It was a living, breathing time. The heart ripping, ravaging moments of these days.....can you imagine it? Jesus, their friend has been brutally murdered. He's dead.....................................................................

He's dead.

And then Jesus beats down death and hell and triumphantly soars to life with the peace of Christ. Instantly, His friends hearts are yyyyyyaaaaaaannnnnnnnkkkkkkkeeeeeedddddd out of grieving and into startled disbelief and shock. He's alive? He's alive? He's alive? He's alive! You're alive?

You're alive. Stunned silence.

I love that we get these moments. Bible book of Luke, last chapter, chapter 24, verse 40 and the next few verses. He is showing them His hands and feet, I would imagine remembering together the nails that were pounded into and through his flesh, ligaments and bones. And it says, "While they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, He asked them.............................". What would come next? What words would He use to finish this hanging thought? As He's showing them His hands and feet in a place of remembrance of all that has just taken place, the next words must be ones that will be significant and meaty.

"Do you have anything here to eat?" Huh? What did He say? I love it. I'm hungry. This bashing hell and death and evil thing has made me really hungry. "They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and He took it and ate it in their presence." Please don't rush from this moment. Please don't rush from the fact that we get this moment recorded for us to savor today. Hearts in bitter grief over the death of their friend and Savior, yanked from grief into the shock and crazy joy of His appearing to them having risen from the dead..............................sitting quietly with Jesus while He eats a piece of broiled fish in their presence. In their presence. With them. What a gift. It's not over. We thought it was over. It's not over............

He so kindly spends a number of days with them talking to them about the kingdom of God. Such a kind gift for their fragile hearts, living the life, death and life again of their friend. They are spending time with Him near a place called Bethany and while they are together, He lifts up His hands and He blesses them. I wonder what this was like? I wonder what He said? I wonder how their hearts were as He, Jesus the Savior, blessed them? And more change comes..............................

"While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven......". What? What is happening? Where are You going? Jesus! Jesus. Life, death, life again, gone again......................................

It's not over............

They stayed together at the temple. They worshipped Him. He was physically gone and they worshipped Him. (I think we get that don't we.)

And they started waiting. And we're still waiting. "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." It's not over............

The last earthly thing that Jesus did with us humans, His friends, as He left earth and ascended into heaven was blessing them. Blessing them. He blesses us.............

It's not over............

There's more.