Luke 24:44-53 (NRSV)
Read Luke 24:44-53 on biblegateway.com
Verse 44Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you-that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Verse 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, Verse 46and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, Verse 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Verse 48You are witnesses of these things. Verse 49And 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."
Verse 50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. Verse 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. Verse 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; Verse 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Devotion
It's now 2002 and we're on the road again—this time to Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Ala., leaving our protesting fingernail marks embedded in the ALCAN. By the middle of July no house has yet appeared and for about a month "home" is a furnished apartment in Montgomery—shared with heat, humidity and Tasha, our son Justin's Siberian husky. This assignment was not solicited, not dreamt of, not even considered, but a good impression left with my previous chaplain boss in Alaska ended up leading to an unexpected good thing.
Maxwell was then (and soon will be again) the site of the United States Air Force Chaplain School. I was honored to serve as an instructor of chaplains and chaplain assistants for the next three years. Numerous opportunities evolved for me to join the calling of those first disciples, namely, to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name. And years later the extent to which that assignment was an unexpected blessing became more and more obvious...
Prayer
Wherever this new day finds me, Lord God, may I deliver your word as even one more witness to your promises. Amen.