道别是很难受的事。事实上，我们为所失丧的感到伤痛，这是人生必须面对的最困难的处境之一。目睹耶稣被带走升到天上时，衪的门徒必定会感到悲痛和伤感。
我们在使徒信经中说耶稣“升天”。这件事是在祂复活之后40天发生的（参看使徒行传 1:1-11）。然而这并不表示耶稣撇下了祂的门徒或我们这些跟随者。刚刚相反，祂升天乃是为了我们的缘故。
尽管圣经没有清楚说明天堂在哪里或是什么样式，然而圣经却明确地教导我们，在天堂的意思就是在上帝面前。耶稣在上帝面前做我们的辩护人，祂不断替我们祈求，求父上帝赐我们所需的一切（罗马书 8:34；约翰一书 2:1-2）。耶稣升天在上帝面前这个事实，亦保证我们会有一天也同样会和祂一起在上帝面前（约翰福音 14:1-3）。耶稣又求父从天上差遣圣灵到来，作为祂必然时常与我们同在的保证和提醒（马太福音 28:20）。
耶稣曾应许会再来，我们如今正在等待祂回来。现在我们知道耶稣是为我们升到天上的，我们因此获得极大的安慰和力量。在这段等待的期间，耶稣藉着祂的灵住在我们心里，祂呼召我们去向这个充满痛苦和哀伤的世界分享祂的爱。
主耶稣，你为我们升到天上，我们感谢你。在我们等待你再来时，求你帮助我们继续在地上为你作工。阿们。
路加福音 24:50-53
50耶稣领他们到伯大尼的对面，就举手给他们祝福。
51正祝福的时候，他就离开他们，被带到天上去了。
52他们就拜他，大大地欢喜，回耶路撒冷去，
53常在殿里称颂神。
“While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” - Luke 24:51
Saying goodbye can be hard. In fact, grieving loss is one of the hardest things we must do in life. Jesus’ disciples surely felt grief and sorrow as they watched him being taken up to heaven.
With the Apostles’ Creed we say that Jesus “ascended to heaven.” This happened forty days after his resurrection (see Acts 1:1-11). But this does not mean Jesus abandoned his disciples or us. No, Jesus went to heaven for us.
While the Bible isn’t very clear about where heaven is or what it looks like, it plainly teaches that heaven means being in the presence of God. In God’s presence, Jesus serves as our advocate, continuously interceding with God the Father for our every need (Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2). Jesus’ presence with God also assures us that one day we will be with him in God’s presence as well (John 14:1-3). And from heaven Jesus sends his Holy Spirit as a guarantee and a reminder that he is always with us (Matthew 28:20).
Knowing that Jesus is in heaven for us now gives us tremendous comfort and strength as we wait for his promised return. In the meantime, as he lives in our hearts through his Spirit, Jesus calls us to share his love with a world full of sorrow and grief.
Thank you for being in heaven for us, Lord Jesus. As we wait for your return, help us to continue your work here on earth. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
