Bethany Bullet - November 20, 2012

There is perhaps no more common question than “When?” That question is fostered by a lack of comprehension or worldly limitations; when our patience has expired or our hopes are nearly retired we ask, “When?”

This week children throughout the nation, sitting in the backseat of vehicles on highways in every state will ask, “When are we gonna be there?”  We have all wondered, “When?” we have all worried and waited and inquired of God, “When?”  When will we be where we want to be: physically, emotionally, spiritually or economically?  When will the journey be finished: the journey of grief or illness or loneliness?  We’ve all wondered, “When Lord, when?”

In Mark the 13^th chapter the disciples asked the same?  When Lord, when is the end going to take place and only Your kingdom shall remain? Jesus didn’t turn around from the proverbial driver’s seat and demand they be quiet. He didn’t try to buy their silence, “I’ll give you a drachma if you can keep from asking any questions for the next hour.” He didn’t answer them the way they were expecting or desiring either. 

Read Mark 13:11-13. 

When the ‘when question’ arises, rather than provide dates and time frames for completion of that which drives the question, Jesus instead let’s His disciples (of all times) know what we are to anticipate and how we are to participate.

When you are confronted with the WHEN, Jesus says anticipate the Spirit’s action.  While the Lord didn’t tell the disciples we read about, nor is He likely to tell the disciples who are reading currently… “WHEN” it will be, He did assure them and does assure us that the Spirit of God will see His followers through. 

When in the midst of our “WHEN’s” the Lord tells us how we are to participate in the journey, “by standing firm.” It doesn’t matter that you don’t know when something will happen (whatever that something is) because you know WHO does, and though He might not choose to reveal to you “when” it will be completed, He has promised that you will never be depleted of His presence. 

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer