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Letter: A Lament to my Sons
In cases of emergency, do not scream and never run. Do not raise your voice or Read More
The Upper Room is here for you in these anxious times. Click Here
Stephanie A. Ford | Read Psalm 47:1-9
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Sign Up TodayOn this Ascension Sunday, we are called to rejoice with all the company of earth and heaven in the gift of our risen Lord. Christ has ascended. Alleluia! We are not left powerless; we are promised the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. Though Psalm 47 long predates Jesus’ life...
Holy Spirit, as Pentecost nears I am filled with anticipation and thanksgiving. So may I praise you with heart, mind, spirit, and body. Amen.
Though Jesus has taught his disciples that God’s kingdom is not an earthly one, following the Resurrection some are still expecting him to set up a kingdom on earth. Instead, Jesus ascends into heaven in front of them, being taken up in the clouds. The scene recalls Psalm 68, where the Lord is described as one who rides on the clouds across the expanse of the heavens. In the Gospel reading, Jesus anticipates his coming departure and prays for his followers. Peter talks about a trial—literally a “fiery ordeal”—that is testing Christians. The reference to fire may be specific, for the Roman historian Tacitus records that Nero killed Christians in Rome by burning them alive. The author may therefore be speaking about suffering that is not just metaphorical.
Read Acts 1:6-14. When have you experienced the power of community?
Read Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35. Recall a time when you recognized God’s power with fear and joy. How might that have been a foretaste of God’s kingdom?
Read 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11. How have you walked with faith through suffering?
Read John 17:1-11. What does it mean for you or your congregation that Jesus prayed for unity among his followers?
Respond by posting a prayer.
Emmaus helped me laugh again, and it brought joy back to my life after the loss of my child. I am now stronger than ever in my walk with the Lord. And to this day, I continue to sponsor pilgrims to The Walk to Emmaus. In my local church, I have led our discipleship team and have had the opportunity to start new Sunday school classes and various women’s ministries. ¡De Colores!”
