Topic : Advent Scripture : Acts 1:9
Watching the Sky
[ Jesus ] was taken up before their very eyes , and a cloud hid him from their sight . — Acts 1:9 introduction
It ’ s hard to wait patiently for a day that you want to come quickly , isn ’ t it ? Like your birthday . Or the first day of summer vacation . Or Christmas ! When a day like that is approaching , you just can ’ t wait for it to get here . But what should you do while you ’ re waiting ? Should you just sit around , twiddle your thumbs , and stare at the clouds ? How can you make the best use of the time you have between now and the special day you ’ re looking forward to ? Well , today we ’ re going to talk about Advent , which is the time of year when people of faith begin to anticipate the coming of Christmas . We ’ re going to discuss what they do during that time . We ’ re also going to talk about a very special day , a day Christians have been eagerly looking forward to for over two thousand years — ever since Jesus left his disciples and went up to heaven . That special day is the day when he will come back to earth !
Today ’ s devotion is based on Acts 1:9 , which says , “[ Jesus ] was taken up before their very eyes , and a cloud hid him from their sight .” The devotion is called “ Watching the Sky .”
devotion
Andre and Elena lay on the grass , watching the clouds . “ That one looks like a castle ,” Elena said , pointing .
Andre cocked his head . “ Nah , I don ’ t get it .” Elena rolled her eyes . “ Well , what do you see ?” “ A ship ! It has three sails ,” Andre said , pointing at another cloud . Elena stared at the cloud . “ Doesn ’ t look like anything to me .” Andre put his hands under his head . “ That ’ s because you have no imagination .”
Glaring at him , Elena said , “ What do you mean ? I just imagined a fortress . That beats a boat !”
Laughing , Andre said , “ Uh-oh , my ship just ran into your castle . Now the whole thing looks like a snowman .”
Elena looked up . “ You ’ re right ! Ooh , it reminds me of Christmas .”
Think about how you long for Christmas during Advent season . It seems that day will never arrive . But you know it will ! That ’ s the way it was for God ’ s people before the first Christmas , as they waited for the Messiah to come . And that ’ s the way it ’ s been ever since Jesus left . The present time is a kind of Advent season . Even though it sometimes seems Jesus will never return , one day soon he will .
Copyright © 2011 by Zondervan
Material taken from the NIV Adventure Bible Book of Devotions