不久之前，一位任牧师多年、事奉有果效的朋友退休了；当他退休时，他对人说：“我不会停止事奉主的；我只不过是被分配到一个新的事奉岗位而已！”
同样，耶稣升了天，也像被分配到新的岗位来执行衪的使命，这件事只反影出耶稣一直以来的事奉重点。在进入人类历史中成为救主耶稣之前，神永恒的儿子向来都是与父同在，并遵行父的旨意的；衪在世上时，这个事实仍然是最重要的。
年幼时的耶稣，虽然称圣殿为衪“父的家，”但衪的重点不是一座建筑物，衪指的乃是凡事寻求神同在的生命。
在事奉天父时，我们或许需要前往一个不容易即时看到神在工作的地方，然而，最重要的，是我们仍然时常渴望与天父同在。
从多方面来看，耶稣的升天，反映出衪从最初在世上事奉那时开始，就一直专心仰望神。与其说衪的升天表示衪的事奉彻底中止了，倒不如说这是衪被授予一个新岗位，继续祂的使命。
当我们在世上为父而活时，我们对天上的响往，是会很自然地流露出来的；在今天，人们能否看到你在专心仰望神呢？
父啊，今天求你赐我渴望亲近你的心。求你为你自己的荣耀加添我对天家的响往，又愿别人从我在世上的生活中看到我对你的渴慕。阿们。
路加福音 2:41-52
41每年到逾越节，他父母就上耶路撒冷去。
42当他十二岁的时候，他们按着节期的规矩上去。
43守满了节期，他们回去，孩童耶稣仍旧在耶路撒冷，他的父母并不知道，
44以为他在同行的人中间。走了一天的路程，就在亲族和熟识的人中找他，
45既找不着，就回耶路撒冷去找他。
46过了三天，就遇见他在殿里，坐在教师中间，一面听一面问。
47凡听见他的，都稀奇他的聪明和他的应对。
48他父母看见就很稀奇。他母亲对他说：“我儿，为什么向我们这样行呢？看哪，你父亲和我伤心来找你！”
49耶稣说：“为什么找我呢？岂不知我应当以我父的事为念吗？”
50他所说的这话，他们不明白。
51他就同他们下去，回到拿撒勒，并且顺从他们。他母亲把这一切的事都存在心里。
52耶稣的智慧和身量，并神和人喜爱他的心，都一齐增长。
“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” - Luke 2:49
Not long ago, a pastor friend retired after a long and fruitful ministry. And as he retired, he told people, “I am not going to stop serving the Lord; I’m just being reassigned!”
In a similar way, the ascension of Jesus was like a reassignment in his mission. It simply reflected where Jesus’ focus had always been. Before he entered human history as Jesus the Savior, the eternal Son of God had always been in the Father’s presence and doing the Father’s will. During his time on earth, that priority did not change.
Though Jesus, as a young boy, spoke of the temple as his “Father’s house,” his focus was not on a building but on a life that would seek God’s presence in all things.
Our service to the Father may take us places in this world where God’s work is not immediately obvious. But our longing for the Father’s presence will always be a priority.
In many ways, Jesus’ ascension reflected the same God-ward focus his earthly mission had always had. The ascension was less a radical break in Jesus’ ministry and more of a reassignment in his continuing mission.
When we live for the Father in this world, our longing for heaven will be a natural extension of our life on earth. Do others see that God-ward focus in you today?
Father, give me a desire to be near you today. Increase my longing for heaven, for your glory. And may others see this desire in the way I live here on earth. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
