进了大学后，有两个暑假我在一间餐馆打工。开工时我们没有机会坐下休息，只要有顾客光顾，所有员工都需要站着和忙碌工作，直等到了工作完成了，我们才可以坐下来。
基督的升天，表明的其中一件事，就是耶稣已经完成了父差遣祂去成就的使命：“基督献了一次永远的赎罪祭，就在神的右边坐下了”（希伯来书 10:12）。大功告成了！然而，这并不表示耶稣便停止作工；祂在天上的宝座上坐下的意思是：作为万有之主，祂正在积极地维系万有，又同时为我们祈求、帮助我们，并藉祂的圣灵使用我们去作工（希伯来书 1:3; 2:18; 7:25）。
人生有时就像马拉松赛跑；我们感到好像时常都有更多的事情要完成，越来越多事情临到我们，超过我们应付得来的。我们往往又被我们自己的罪和软弱缠累，这些都令我们不断专注在我们自己的好处上，反而没有留意神和其他人。
耶稣的升天提醒我们，这场赛事的终点究竟在那里。当我们想到耶稣已成就的一切、和今天祂与圣灵为我们所作的一切时，我们便能“在灵里重新得力”，靠着主的能力勇往直前。
我们不要气馁，因为这位已升到天上的主，必定会帮助我们成功地跑完全程的。
主耶稣，你成就的大功保证我们得到救恩，我们赞美你。求你藉你的灵加力给我们，好叫我们今天继续为你而活和为你作工。阿们。
希伯来书 12:1-3
1我们既有这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们，就当放下各样的重担，脱去容易缠累我们的罪，存心忍耐，奔那摆在我们前头的路程，
2仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣。他因那摆在前面的喜乐，就轻看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦难，便坐在神宝座的右边。
3那忍受罪人这样顶撞的，你们要思想，免得疲倦灰心。
“For the joy set before him [Jesus] endured the cross... and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:2
After going to college, I spent two summers working in a restaurant. There was no sitting down on the job. As long as we had customers, all the employees had to be on their feet and busily working. Not until the work was finished could anyone sit down.
One of the things Christ’s ascension reveals is that Jesus finished the mission the Father had sent him to do: “When [he] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, [Jesus] sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Mission accomplished! But this does not mean Jesus stopped working. Being seated on the throne in heaven means he is actively ruling as Lord of all—sustaining all things while also praying for us, helping us, and working through us by his Holy Spirit (Hebrews 1:3; 2:18; 7:25).
Sometimes life can seem like a marathon. We feel as if there is always more to do, more coming at us than we can handle. Often we are hampered by our own sin and weaknesses that keep us focused on our own interests rather than on God and others.
Jesus’ ascension reminds us where our race is headed. When we think of all that Jesus has accomplished, and all that he and the Spirit are doing for us today, we are given a kind of “spiritual second wind” to keep going, in the Lord’s strength.
Don’t lose heart. The ascended Lord will help us finish well.
Lord Jesus, we praise you for your finished work, assuring us of salvation. By your Spirit, strengthen us to keep living and working for you today. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
