Morning Devotional

Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.

Prayer for the Morning

Oh Lord, most heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought me to the beginning of this day; I give you thanks for my creation, preservation, and all the blessings of my life. Grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all my doings, being governed by your will, may be righteous in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, I pray.

Prayer for Grace and Strength

Lord God, I pray that you will fill my heart with the blessing of your Holy Spirit. Grant me this day the strength to be temperate in all things, diligent in my duties, and patient under my afflictions. Direct me in all my ways. Give me grace to be just and upright in all my dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion; and ready to do good to all people, according to my abilities and opportunities. For the sake of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Community of Prayer

Heavenly Lord, I know I am not alone saying these prayers or reading your Word this morning, but many people unknown to me, from all stations of life, have joined together in this brief moment of devotion. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be among the community of all who pray in the name of Christ this morning, and remain among us always.

Psalm 78:2-6

Luke 24:49-53

The Ascension of Christ

Jesus said to his disciples, "See, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Notes on the Scripture

Christ's resurrection from death is possibly the most celebrated event of Christianity. Christmas is a more elaborate holiday than Easter, but it has been so secularized that the holiday often overshadows the holy day, whereas attendance at a worship service is more clearly the central event of Easter Sunday.

Both of them are celebrated much more elaborately than Christ's ascension to heaven; the ascension, however, is of enormous significance to Christ's mission and to our beliefs. It was predicted a thousand years earlier, that the Saviour would come to dwell at the right hand of the Creator (Psalm 110:1). It was also predicted by Christ himself during his trial before the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:64).

Christ's ascension is the keystone to our present state of belief and worship. It ended, with complete finality, the belief among most Hebrews that the Messiah would come to lead a political revolution, to finally overthrow Rome specifically, or to establish an earthly government and subdue nonbelievers generally. Christ was given dominion over the earth, but his kingdom is in a different place and will be fulfilled at a different time. God's presence on earth, in the meantime, was not a resurrected Christ, but the Holy Spirit, whose role was made clear by the Pentecost.