Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
Let those who hate him flee before him...
Sing to God, sing praises to his name,
Lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds.
(vss. 1,4)
Today is Ascension Day! Aren't you excited? Are you planning anything special for the day?
Okay, so it doesn't get the same attention in the church calendar as Christmas or Easter, but still, the last glimpses of Jesus on earth (unless you believe he appears in tree bark or a piece of toast from time to time) is a pretty special occasion.
The lectionary couples Psalm 68 with the story of Jesus' ascension in Acts. Both scriptures invite us to look up. Both scriptures invite us to imagine a God who is in control of all creation, who is set against all that wars with shalom and who will ultimately bring full shalom into being.
Life can get pretty horizontal. It's a good idea to lift your eyes toward the heavens with joy and hope, even if you have to tolerate a little rain in your face. Researchers tell us that one's environment impacts how one thinks and behaves. For instance, people who are asked to function in a room with high ceilings demonstrate a greater capacity for imaginative, creative work. Maybe that's why churches, traditionally, have developed spaces with arched ceilings. Makes it easier to catch a glimpse of that rider in the clouds. Maybe we ought to be meeting outside more often!
What aspects of your life have become way too horizontal? What ways can you orient your attention upward? If the Psalms are any indication, praise and prayer are a good place to start.
I really don't know what is meant by 'horizontal.' If it means when life becomes routine, I think of it as a lull between the 'light' and the 'dark' times in life. So it isn't a bad thing to be in a 'horizontal' time. But it is in this 'horizontal' time that we are sober and attention can be made to direct our attention to directing our eyes upward.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think routine is a good description of horizonatal. Also maybe mundane, closed in or without wonder.
ReplyDeleteI like to look at Ascension day as an example of one of the more striking opportunities we get for transformation. It was an event that told Jesus' followers that they were ready for prime time. No longer could they just witness Jesus feeding, healing, and raising the dead, but they were capable of performing acts greater than these.
ReplyDeleteLike all of us, the apostles liked their routine. They became accustomed to helping Jesus perform miracles. The Ascension was the dramatic statement and challenge to the apostles and any who wish to walk in Jesus' Way, that they can be Jesus' hands and feet in this world.
In this season of graduations I'm reminded of Mary Magdalene wanting to continue as a student when she first saw Jesus in the garden after the resurrection. When she recognized the resurrection reality, she transformed from apprentice to apostle.
When we have our version of Ascension day, we can see it as a magical event that momentarily astounds us, or as a time to change our lives into the promise that Jesus gave us.