“Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven” (Lk. 24:50-51 ESV).
This is the last appearance of Jesus in the timeline covered by the Gospels. As he has done several times before, Jesus does again—he blesses. Jesus ascends to the right hand of the Father and prays for the Father to bless those who remain behind.
Imagine the scene. Before your very eyes Jesus is ascending. You are standing beneath him. He looks at you. Then he lifts his eyes to heaven and he prays for you. What does he pray? Does he pray, “Father, help ___ to get straightened out!” “Father, help ___ to be worthy of the sacrifice I’ve just made.” “Father, don’t you have anyone else but ___ to carry on the mission?” I fear that for many of us, as we imagine this scene, the prayer we hear from Jesus’ lips is not a positive prayer.
But here is the truth: Jesus’ last prayer for you in the Gospels is a prayer of blessing. His last action was to pray for the Father to bless you. Not to curse you. Not to put up with you. Not to make due with you. But to bless you.
What blessing do you imagine Jesus giving the Highland family as he ascends to heaven? Pray now for that blessing to fall upon us.
