July 2

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, — Eph 2:6 BSB

Ascension is more than resurrection. The New Testament speaks of it often—Christ rises above all things. We see Him in the act of ascending, with His hands and lips engaged in blessing, gently departing from His disciples’ side, so simply, so quietly, with no grand ceremony, making heaven feel so near to our everyday life that we could whisper through. And we, too, must ascend, even while we are here. "If you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above." We must learn to live on the heavenly side and look at things from above. This perspective helps us overcome sin, defy Satan, dissolve perplexities, rise above trials, separate ourselves from the world, and conquer the fear of death. When we see things as God sees them, as Christ sees them, as we will see them from His glory, we will realize that we are already seated with Him in heavenly places. Let us rise with His resurrection and, in fellowship with His glorious ascension, learn to live above.