7
Joy in the Scriptures
4:34). His life culminated in giving that life as
a sacrifice for sin, through which sin was
overcome and a way of salvation made
possible. Jesus did not waver, at all times he
did his Father’s will.
Read again that verse 9. With the love and
obedience Jesus showed to his Father, I am
sure that God would have made great
provision for the ascension of Jesus to
heaven. Could we say with all reverence that
it was to be a dignified occasion? If it was
possible for God to send twelve legions of
angels to sustain Jesus in the garden, I think
we can be certain that angels were sent to
take Jesus to his Father. Angels were there as
they spoke to the disciples and I feel that the
cloud referred to was a cloud of angels.
The important word of Acts1:9 is “received”.
We know the joy experienced when a child of
God is received into fellowship: a special
occasion with usually many brothers and
sisters present. Surely it must have been an
even more special occasion for the Lord to be
taken into the presence of God. They
received him. The record could have said he
ascended. But this powerful word received is
used. The more you repeat the word received
the greater the picture develops of Jesus
having completed his mission on earth and
being taken by the angels to sit at the right
hand of his Father. What JOY there must have
been in heaven. Joy amongst the angels and
joy with the Father and Son. As Bro Carter
said: “At the Father’s right hand are
pleasures for evermore.”
In God’s mercy, we will be able to experience
this joy in the Kingdom and this is confirmed
by: “Now unto him that is able to keep you
from falling, and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy … be glory and majesty,
dominion and power, both now and ever.
Amen” (Jude 24-25.)
The Need for Tears ~ Luke 19:37-44
| Bro Isaac Kapa (Tongaren, Kenya)
F
ollowing the 2010 earthquake in Haiti,
we were all overwhelmed by the images
of devastation and hardship endured by the
people of Haiti, especially by the many
heartbreaking pictures: one in particular
captured my attention. It showed a woman
staring at the massive destruction, and
weeping. Her mind could not process the
suffering of her people and as her heart was
crushed, tears poured from her eyes. Her
reaction was easily understandable.
Sometimes crying is the only appropriate
response to the suffering we encounter. As
I examined that picture, I thought of the
compassion of our Lord Jesus. Jesus under-
stood the need for tears, and he, too, wept
over a different kind of devastation – the
coming destruction of Jerusalem brought on
by sin. As he approached Jerusalem, marked
by corruption and injustice and the pain
they create, Jesus’ response was tears. Now
as he drew near, he saw the city and wept
over it (Luke 19:41). He wept out of
compassion
and grief.
As we encoun-
ter
the
inhu-
manity, suffering and
sin that wreak havoc in
our world, how do we
respond? If the heart of Jesus
breaks over the condition of our world,
shouldn’t ours? And shouldn’t we then do
everything we can to make a difference for
those in need spiritually: “Compassion
offers whatever is necessary to heal the
hearts of others.”