THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.
By Aimee
“He led them out as far as to Bethany,” along the road they had so often journeyed with him, every step reminding them of some incidents or words of wisdom and love of the dear Master, who was now about to leave them alone, and all those happy evenings spent in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus—how freshly they return to the minds of the chosen friends. Here he stops and looks around on the little band. They have taken their last walk together, the last words have been spoken to his beloved disciples, whom he is about to leave in the world that had treated him so cruelly, and which he knew would treat them cruelly, also. We may imagine the look of unutterable love he cast upon them, as he raised o'er them those hands so pierced and wounded, and blessed them, and was borne up, those hands still outstretched as pledges of his love! “Lift up your heads, oh, ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.” His work on earth is now ended, and his mediatorial work in Heaven begun. The bereaved disciples return to Jerusalem, not this time in sorrow, but in joy, their hopes fulfilled, their fears and doubts removed. Their Lord has gone up before their very eyes to the Father he had told them of so often, and where he was going, to prepare mansions for them. They hastened now to fulfill his last commands, to go and spread abroad the story of his love. No more faithlessness, but strong, earnest, loving work for the Master, for though absent from them in the body, still they have his promise, “I am with you always.” Doubtless in the fiery trials that awaited them, and the cruel deaths they all (with one exception) suffered, his life, death and words, which they were privileged to see and hear, strengthened them to endure even as he endured. This same Lord is our Lord and Master; let us therefore hasten to obey his commands, for “The night cometh, when no man can work.”—Aimee.