Almost everyone has heard the expression, “When one door closes another door opens”.  Unfortunately many of us spend a great deal of time and energy banging on the closed door, saying words we probably shouldn’t and trying to sue the company who made the door.  Eventually we get tired and just stare at the door. I wonder if that is how the disciples felt as the stood looking up into the sky after Jesus ascended.   The person whom they had given up everything to follow had left them.  He had promised not to leave them orphans but at that moment that is precisely how they felt.  What were they to do?  It was then that the angel told them to stop looking up to heaven and to get about living their lives. This is a valuable key to living as a disciple. As followers of Christ we can become very tired just standing looking up to heaven for a sign from God.  We long to see God yet we refuse to stop starring at the sky.  The disciples only realized the significance of the Ascension when they began to live their lives believing that Jesus would not leave them orphans. In fact they found that Jesus could be present in their lives in a more intimate way different from his physical presence. How, by telling stories of Jesus, realizing their blessings, working through their differences and being faithful to his teachings.   In doing so they experienced Jesus’ courage and wisdom as their own.  When Peter stood before the Sanhedrin he didn’t speak about the good old days of Jesus.  He proclaimed Jesus as risen and alive.  That is what true disciples do. They don’t spend their time looking at the sky.  They find Jesus in the moments of the here and now whether those moments be moments of joy or sorrow.  Another quality of a disciple is the ability to let go.   One of the greatest lessons that Jesus gave to his disciples was his Ascension.  Why, because Jesus loved his disciples very much yet he knew it was time for him to leave.  Unless Jesus ascended his disciples would never have grown spiritually. It was time for them to truly appropriate his message. There is an old song written by the artist Sting that had within it the lyrics “If you love somebody, set them free”.  Jesus realized that the only way his teachings could become reality in the lives of his disciples was if he set them free.  They were free to believe, to doubt, to preach and to proclaim.  Undoubtedly the process for each disciple was different, yet the process deepened their relationship with the risen Jesus.  In setting them free he allowed them to embrace his message on their own terms.  Disciples of Jesus let go of the need to tell others how to live their faith, to hold on to the good old days and to be always comfortable. They know the same thing that Jesus did at his Ascension.  God has a plan and it will be OK.