One Minute Meditation | Thurs, April 24

READ

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:6-11).

They still didn’t get it. For three years they were waiting for Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom. Now that He has conquered death they wonder if this is the time for the kingdom to be established here on earth. Jesus moves them into the direction they need to go. They are to be witnesses to His life, His death, and His resurrection from the grave. They are to impact their relationships with this faith in Jesus. They are to impact the world with this faith in Jesus. We are to do the same. We are simply called to live the difference Jesus makes in the life of a believer. We are to live in such a manner that people would ask us to explain the hope and the joy we have each day.

REFLECT

How are you living your faith so that others can see the difference Jesus makes for believers?

RESPOND

Prayer: Gracious Holy Spirit, thank You for bringing me to faith and for feeding my faith through Word and Sacrament. Help me to live my faith in such a way that I may witness to others the difference Jesus makes. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.