Seeing Things as They Really Are
Pastor’s Column
The Ascension of the Lord
May 24, 2020
“It is not for you to know the times or the seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”
From Acts 1:1-11
If only we could allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into seeing things in our lives as they really are! How vital it is for us to get beyond the illusions we prefer or a life lived only on the surface of reality. There are so many mysteries our Lord wishes to share with us if we are open to seeing them – in our personal lives, in the world around us, and in the world to come (where we are rapidly headed!). What we need is God’s perspective.
Even as Christ ascends into heaven, the disciples continue to ask the wrong questions. They still don’t get it! Incredibly, they still are expecting Jesus to be an earthly ruler in Israel. We, too, are curious about many things that really are not necessary for us to know right now, such as: when is the end of the world? How will I die? How many are in heaven or hell? What does the future hold for my family or my country? For Jesus these kinds of questions are always the wrong ones! Notice he does not satisfy the disciples’ curiosity: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has established.”
Next, we find the disciples standing around, looking up into heaven, watching Jesus disappear into the sky. But not for long! Two angels appear and basically tell them to quit gazing and get going! They have been entrusted with a mission – to be Christ in this world and share the good news! The lesson for us is clear. Christ does not always answer our questions about why we suffer or what the future holds. He will answer all of this in the future. Instead, he has given you a vital mission, one that only you can perform.
What is this great mission Christ has entrusted to you? Our mission will always be found in the commitments we have made: in our work, our school, our family, our children, our parents, our church; in the strangers and the poor we meet, in the demands of the gospel; how I shop, what I buy, what I say about others; my honesty and integrity; my concern about the person God has placed in my path today; my acceptance of my daily cross. These are the questions the Holy Spirit will answer for us whenever we ask, throughout the day, because being Christ in your small corner of the world is the mission that He has entrusted to you. No one else can do this but you. Our role is vital, and this is why it is important to ask the Holy Spirit daily to allow us to see things as they really are – in our lives, in the world, and in the world to come – from God’s perspective, and not just my own. Then my mission and how I must live my life will become clear.
