During the 40 days the resurrected Jesus spent with the disciples before his Ascension, Luke says, he spoke "about the kingdom of God."

The church gathers to celebrate a spectacular event: the raising of Jesus to God. Luke's description emphasizes the sheer drama of Christ's exaltation the disciples witnessed. Other details important to today's disciples, however, might get lost in the glory.

When athletes in racing, basketball, or other sports leave the ground even for a few seconds, they are said to “catch air.” Especially when it comes to basketball, most of those players have a higher perspective than the rest of us who are only walking around!

In the Christian story," the English author and scholar C. S. Lewis once wrote, "God descends to re-ascend." With the exception of Jesus' final return, Lewis' words nicely bookend the big moments of Christ's life: incarnation, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension, just as the Ascension itself sums up who Jesus was and is.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is seated at God's right hand and will come again. We turn to God and pray to be made worthy of this glorious promise.

Christ's ascension means our future destiny is secured in God's kingdom. That is a destiny to dream about! --Donald K. McKim