Ascend

“Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into Heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down)” Romans 10:6

Ascend – What an odd verse!  Taken by itself, it just doesn’t seem to make any sense at all.  Paul has a picture in mind that has been lost over the centuries.  It’s all about the impossible.

The Greek word for “ascend” is anabesetai.  It is a combination verb that literally means, “to go up”.  It is used in ordinary speech for going up to the second floor or climbing up a hill.  There is nothing spectacular about this word.  Except in this context!  Paul is using an idiom of his time to paint a picture about what is impossible.  What he is really saying is this: There is just no way for any man to climb his way up to heaven.  I can’t take the stairs, the elevator or the airplane.  This is truly a case of “you can’t get there from here.”

But notice that it is not just the impossibility of getting to heaven that Paul wants us to understand.  Paul says people who strive to get up to heaven are attempting to bring Christ back with them.  There is a purpose in the deluded attempt to get to heaven.  They want to get up there so that they can come back with the prize.  Now we see the real impossibility.  The intention of this climb is to take control of the situation.  It is to make Christ follow my lead.  My desire to ascend is not to enjoy and serve Him.  It is to control Him.

Most of us realize that we can’t climb the stairway to heaven (in spite of Jimmy Page).  But that doesn’t stop us from trying to bring Christ down on our terms.  We want the genie-in-the bottle Jesus.  We want to tell Him when and how and where.  We want Jesus to be at our beck and call.  We pray, “Lord, help me with my plans” instead of “Lord, show me how to be the part you want me to be in your plans.”  Jesus teaches humility.  His direction is down, not up.  And only he can descend the stairway from heaven.

“Lord, open my eyes to all those parts of me that seek to ascend.  Let me learn humility from you.”

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