After the Saviour's ascension, the sense of the divine presence, full of love and light, was still with them. It was a personal presence. Jesus, the Saviour, who had walked and talked and prayed with them, who had spoken hope and comfort to their hearts, had, while the message of peace was upon His lips, been taken from them into heaven. As the chariot of angels received Him, His words had come to them, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end." Matthew 28:20. He had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. They knew that He was before the throne of God, their Friend and Saviour still; that His sympathies were unchanged; that He would forever be identified with suffering humanity. They knew that He was presenting before God the merit of His blood, showing His wounded hands and feet as a remembrance of the price He had paid for His redeemed ones; and this thought strengthened them to endure reproach for His sake. Their union with Him was stronger now than when He was with them in person. The light and love and power of an indwelling Christ shone out through them, so that men, beholding, marveled.

Efter Frelserens himmelfart forblev følelsen af hans guddommelige nærværelse, fuld af kærlighed og lys, stadig hos dem. Jesus, Frelseren, som havde vandret og talt og bedt sammen med dem, som havde talt håbets og trøstens ord til deres hjerter, var, medens fredens budskab lød fra hans læber, blevet optaget til Himmelen fra dem. Da englenes triumfvogn hentede ham, lød hans ord til dem: "Se, jeg er med eder alle dage indtil verdens ende." Matt. 28,20. I menneskelig skikkelse var han steget op til Himmelen. De vidste, at han nu var ved Guds trone, stadig som deres ven og Frelser; at hans kærlighed var uændret; at han for stedse ville gøre sig til ét med den lidende menneskehed. De vidste, at han frembar sit blodige offer for Gud og viste ham sine sårede hænder og fødder som mindetegn om den pris, han havde betalt for sine genløste; og tanken herom styrkede dem til at lide skam og skændsel for hans skyld. Deres forening med ham var nu stærkere, end dengang han synligt var sammen med dem. Lyset og kærligheden og kraften fra en nærværende Kristus udstrålede fra dem, så mennesker, der så det, måtte undres.