Day 8 - Why Stand You Here Gazing?

Acts 1:9-11 - And when he had spoken these things, while they were beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up; behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

Why stand you here gazing? The angel was direct in his question that very possibly also posed as a rebuke.

The disciples had experienced a supernatural phenomenon. They had a now you see him, now you don't moment with Jesus as he ascended into heaven. They were star-struck--amazed even. Yet, they were also paralyzed by the promise Jesus left them with, "I will return!"

Evidentally they processed the promise the wrong way or they simply decided to stand in amazement a bit too long. Irregardless, of what led to their gazing, heaven had no time for it. The angel made sure to speak boldly and authoratively as he let the disciples know that there was no time to waste. I believe there are even a couple of directives that can possibly be taken from his statement to them:

1) They could gaze up at the afterglow of their experience later. For the moment they needed to be busy fulfilling the work of Jesus' commission.

2) Yes, Jesus would be back, but standing around with an escape mentality watching the clouds, while doing nothing for the cause of the Gospel would not be tolerated.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us! I am ecstatic that heaven has an eternal dwelling place reserved for me, but I believe the angel was also attempting to make sure the disciples did not become so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good!

My Prayer:

Father, I am looking forward to heaven, but I take a lesson from the experience of the disciples in this passage and pray that I am never found paralyzed with anticipation of your return. May I never cease to celebrate the miraculous release of your presence in my life, but at the same time help me to never gaze at the location of a former experience to the point I am not effectively carrying your witness to the next place you have ordered my steps. In Jesus name, Amen.