"Clouds"

I’ve watched them fly across the sky,

Casting shadows far below,

Stacked up billows way up high,

Full of light and wind you know.

I’ve seen ‘em dark and oh so mad,

Black with storm and threat,

Swirling down with wind so bad,

And you have, too, I bet.

Thankful after it’s been dry,

To see the clouds bring rain,

After drought and hardest try,

There’s moisture once again.

They say the sun refused to shine,

The day when Jesus died,

The Bible says it was a sign,

No doubt the Father cried.

Rising up on clouds He flew,

Back to His rightful place,

Those who followed Jesus knew,

They’d seen the Father’s face.

And one day on the brightest cloud,

The Lord will come again,

The trumpet shout will be so loud,

To rid this world of sin.

Clouds are in God’s plan, you see,

Back when and even now,

When God’s Kingdom comes to be,

And what God will allow.

“And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9, NAS)

Jesus ascended back to heaven after spending forty post-Resurrection days teaching His disciples. At the end of this time He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the power of the Holy Spirit. Soon after, a cloud received Him out of their sight. When they were filled with the Spirit, it was like a wind-storm had entered the room where they were praying. They were promised Jesus would return in the way He left them, on a cloud. They spent the rest of their days talking about Jesus and expecting Him to return. So should we.

Lord, help us to live with anticipation of Your return, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mark Maggiori, used by permission. Thanks, Mark, and God bless you.