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Introduction |
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| INTRODUCTION |
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The following is the original introduction to Behind the Cloud which forms the major part of this group.
| "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God", 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4. |
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The Lord led His loved ones out as far as Bethany and, lifting up His hands in priestly grace and blessing, was parted from them.
We can understand in some degree their feelings as they saw their beloved Lord rise from among them. They gazed upward, watching Him ascend.
The last view of a loved one is always what remains, and if the disciples had seen the Lord far, far away, in the sky He would ever have been far off from them in their min and we, too, should have thought of Him as far away.
Thank God no one has seen Him far off. He was near to them when the cloud received them and, to their hearts, He was ever just behind the cloud with outstretched hands.
Paul is in the good of this when he says to the Philippians, "Let your yieldingness be known unto all men, the Lord is nigh" (New Translation).
He gives us the privilege to walk the path of humility which He so perfectly trod, and all His sympathy and succour is at hand to help us downward, He is close to us – just behind the cloud.
A. J. H. Brown (1866-1934)