There’s a story in the first chapter of Acts when Jesus ascends to heaven that I’d like to look at.
Acts 1:9-12 (KJV) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
I have a simple question. Why was it angels that were sent to tell them this? Because there was nothing else that was going to get their attention other than something sent by God. They had their eyes intently fixed on Jesus.
We should live our lives with our eyes fixed on Jesus. As the disciples we can’t stare into heaven waiting for His return. As the phrase goes “we can be so heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good.” We can’t effectively do the work that God has for us to do if we are just staring into the clouds. We can look for the return of Jesus in our hearts as we are busy doing the work that he has for us. The disciples had been given something to do, but they could not accomplish it standing there. With that being said we should have our eyes intently fixed on Jesus. If we are looking for Him we can see Jesus in our everyday lives.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2 NIV). Let’s set our minds to look for Jesus in every aspect of our lives.
Hebrews 12:2 NET keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.