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"I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, 'My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?'" (Daniel 12:8). "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority" (Acts 1:7).

In the course of our ministry we encounter people whose hurts represent so much of the human experience.  We deal with those fighting addictions, others attempting to "get their life back together", marriage and child custody battles, aging parents, a special needs child, the list goes on and on. There are two common questions that go through the minds of these troubled folks: "Why is this happening?" and "When will this end?"

On a personal level we have a friend on our hearts as we prepare this message. His wife is fighting cancer and they have been going through a most unsettling ordeal for the last 7 months since the diagnosis. They are surely struggling with these thoughts, "Why is this happening?" and "When will this end?"

In our first daily text Daniel writes, "I heard, but I did not understand". There are Scripture passages we simply don't understand. But in many areas of life we really don't understand and, like Daniel, we wonder "what will the outcome of all this be?”

Our second daily text is Christ's response to a question of the disciples on the Day of Ascension. They had asked an eschatological question, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”  They were still anticipating the establishment of a material, political kingdom and I doubt they expected Christ's ascension into heaven that would follow only moments later. I wonder if their hearts were troubled when He ascended? There were surely many more questions for which they sought answers.

Eschatology is the study of the end times and there many details we greatly desire to know "what's next?" Our Lord's answer to the disciples was initially a reply to their question but in a broader sense it speaks to many issues we wonder about.

"It is not for you to know". That's a response children don't like to hear when they're wondering about a matter, pestering their parents for answers.  But, truth be told, we don't like that response either, as adults. We want to know; we want answers to the five W questions; who, what, when, why and where. Don't we look for those answers in most articles we read since that is the duty of good journalism. And we especially want the answers in those situations that affect us personally or those we care about!

Christ's answer, some of His final words prior to His ascension back to heaven, is that it wasn't for them to know the times or dates the Father had set by His own authority, but the Spirit would empower them to be His witnesses (v. 8).

Do you think the disciples were satisfied with that answer? Do you suppose some grumbling took place among them such as, "That's not what we asked about.  Did He not hear us?  Why doesn't He tell us more?  What if?"

The disciples had a specific question but I also believe there is a general principle here in regard to God's dealings in our lives. We also have questions, but like the disciples, we don't get all the answers we want. Sometimes we get essentially the same message, "It is not for you to know". That's hard, particularly in the midst of a trial.

We can find assurance in the last phrase of the daily text that contains a solemn spiritual principle regarding any great question of life: "The Father has set by His own authority."

Remember, our omniscient God is in control and He has a set purpose for all that He's doing and when He chooses to do it. What peace to know that our times are in His hands! (Psalm 31:15).

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13.

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber