Most of us know someone who’s been in the emotional tug-of-war of a long-distance relationship—or maybe we’ve been there ourselves. Before smartphones and FaceTime, those kinds of relationships had to be incredibly difficult. Think back to the days before unlimited long-distance calling—just hearing each other’s voice came with a price. And the occasional visits? Especially if they lived on opposite coasts? Painfully rare and painfully short. I can only imagine the tearful goodbyes: “How will I survive until I see you again?” or “I can’t live without you.”
We know that long-distance relationships on earth rarely stand the test of time. But here’s something to think about: For centuries, God seemed far away from His people. Sure, He made appearances—burning bushes, pillars of fire and hovering clouds—but those appearances were few and far between. Then, everything changed. God came near. He came to us. He came as one of us in Jesus Christ. God was no longer distant. Emmanuel walked among us. (Emmanuel literally means “God with us”!)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
But then came the crucifixion. Imagine the trauma for those who loved Him. He was gone. Not just physically, but His divine presence—the comfort, the peace, the power—seemed to vanish too. It must have felt like the worst kind of long-distance relationship ever. Then came the twist no one expected: three days later, just as He said promised, Jesus arose and walked out of that grave. Emmanuel was back!
But, as you probably know, the story doesn’t end there. After just 40 short days of post-resurrection appearances and final instructions, Jesus announced He was returning to Heaven. If it were me, I’d be tempted to go global—tour the world, hit every news outlet, launch a “Jesus World Tour” YouTube channel, maybe even a TikTok account. After all, who wouldn’t want the whole world to know? But instead, Jesus chose a quieter path. He appeared to a few hundred people, trained His disciples, and then ascended back to the Father.
His disciples were heartbroken. Even though Jesus had already told them what was coming, they still weren’t allowed to see the truth. In John 14:2, He says, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” And then in verse 3, He gives one of the most comforting promises in all of Scripture: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Then as He was leaving in Acts 1, He reassured them they wouldn’t ever be left alone. Again, in verse 8, Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth.” And their eyes were opened!
Wow. Just … WOW. God didn’t just come closer to us—He moved in … inside us! You just can’t get any closer than that! Jesus’s physical departure didn’t mean God abandoned us. Remember, our God is omnipresent and wasn’t content to stay distant. But sin had to be dealt with first. So He sent His Son to live among us and to pay, once and for all, the debt we owed. When Jesus declared, “It is finished,” the curtain was torn from top to bottom and the separation that existed between God and man was finished too. And then, God took it one step further—He sent His Spirit to dwell inside all who believe. God is not just with us … He is in us. Forever!
I have to say it again: WOW. The Creator of the universe—who made the stars, galaxies, oceans, and mountains—was thinking us when He created all of it. And, as if that wasn’t enough, when He sent His Son to die, He had us in mind as well then too!
So now we’re left with one question: What will we do with this incredible truth???
שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם ☧
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