Goodbye

"So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs. " - Mark 16:19-20

It's taken me awhile to figure out the best way to talk about this particular moment. It's not that I don't understand what's happening, rather it's understanding the gravity of the situation - the emotions, the feeling that you're on your own, the memories of what's behind, and the expectations for what's ahead.

As a disciple, this must have been bittersweet. Jesus had already died, and the disciples were well into grieving when he came back. He's spent more time with them preparing them to spread the Good News, but now he must leave again - and this time, it's permanent. The next time they'll see him is in Heaven. And not only that, the purpose of their lives has dramatically changed. No longer fishermen, they're leaving everything behind to preach to others about Jesus.

It must have been overwhelming, to say the least.

But Jesus has confidence in them - he knows they're ready, and they just need that extra push to get them started. He's done his part, now it's their turn. So he empowers them with the Holy Spirit, and says goodbye. I'm sure it was tearful, some might already be longing to see him, but they have a mission, a purpose. One that's much greater than themselves, but one they must succeed at.

Thank God - they did!