Is Now Good?

By: Tony Alonso

Acts 1:6-7 ESV: So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”

Is now good? Now seems like a good time. Maybe in the next couple of minutes? How about now? The disciples had their own reasons for wanting Jesus to return: to restore the wrong to right. In light of the events that happened this morning in Orlando and the continued tragedies that happen day in and out, I can’t help asking, “Lord, come now?”

The Jews were anxiously awaiting their Christ. They imagined he would come and bring Israel back to their glory days of King David and King Solomon. When Jesus came, it was during the rule of the Roman Empire and their occupation of Jerusalem. This was the perfect time for Jesus to come and overturn the government with swords swinging. At least it seemed perfect to them. Instead, God had a different plan. A plan that left the disciples scratching their heads and wondering when? The response was not what the disciples had hoped. It is not for them to know. God the Father has fixed this time by his own perfect authority.

This can leave us scratching our heads, too. When we see senseless murders and horrible violence. When we see little girls abducted, gang members riot, planes flying into towers, and terrorists beheading missionaries, we ask, “how about now, God? Is now good?” The answer continues to be, “it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”

We can take this two ways. One, can be to get angry and wonder what kind of God we serve, or two, know that we have more time to do God’s will and bring light to this world. There are still more people that are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. More people that need to know about Jesus. It is not time yet because God’s perfect plan is still being accomplished. While tragedies and horrible acts can deflate our hopes, each day should remind us, it is not time yet. There is still more to do, more love to show, more help to give. Take these times, like what happened today in Orlando, Florida, as reminders we are not home yet. Let it inspire you to live out the great commission of making disciples of all nations as we continue to love our neighbors as ourselves.