“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” (Acts 1:7)
As we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension, we need to be reminded that the Lord Jesus has promised to come back and establish his Kingdom on earth forever. The chaos, sickness, and violence that we are experiencing is the result of sin, evil and Satan. Though Christ has conquered sin and Satan, these continue to wreak havoc on both the faithful and unbelievers alike.
We believers, however, have an advantage, for, while we endure, we have faith in his great promise that Jesus made. He will return to bring us into the eternal joy that we will share with Him in heaven. We know and cling to this truth, something which the world cannot do so we are to share it with those who do not have faith, who do not know who Jesus is. They endure the same violence, cruelty, and suffering as we yet without the hope or help we have. We are certainly distressed when we are suffering or when we have to watch loved ones and friends in the midst of serious pain and critical illness. Such trials test the very foundation of our faith in Jesus. “Lord do you really know what you are doing? What purpose does such suffering serve? Why have you allowed this to happen?” I am sure that even the most faithful of us have asked these questions at one time or another.
The world needs the help of Jesus to take these evils away. We all need Jesus. If all the world had faith in Him there would be harmony, peace, unity, respect and love with no anger, murder, or vengeance. One day this will happen. Jesus will return and we will be with Him for eternity. Then we will no pain, sickness, or sorrow. But for now we must live as His disciples in this wicked world. We have been commissioned to establish His kingdom on earth. It is not given to us to know the specific answers, the specific reasons as to why life is the way it is. It is enough to know that we are in the Father’s hands in all situations. Therefore, we place our trust in Him who loved us enough to die for our sins, for we know death could not hold Him. He rose from the dead and now lives in glory. So shall we for He has promised.