Acts 1:6-11: a reflection

6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” 9When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, 11who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”

In the moments before Jesus ascends, his disciples ask him about the times: Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel? He redirects them: It is not for you to know the times or seasons the Father has set; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. Then he is taken up into heaven. And as the disciples stand gazing into the sky where he has gone, two angels ask them, Why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus will come back in the same way you saw him go.

Notice how the disciples' attention is redirected, twice. First, from speculating about the times, when will the kingdom be restored?, to the task at hand: you will be my witnesses. And second, from gazing wistfully into the sky after the departed Jesus, to getting on with what he had given them to do. They were not to be preoccupied with knowing the times, nor to stand idly gazing after him; they were to go and be his witnesses, in the sure hope that he would return.

That redirection speaks to us as well. We can be preoccupied with speculating about the times and the end, trying to know what the Father has kept in his own authority; and we can stand, as it were, gazing wistfully into the sky, caught up in longing or speculation, rather than getting on with the work Christ has given us. But Jesus redirects us to the task: be my witnesses. Do not spend your energy speculating about the times, or standing idly by; get on with the work Christ has given, witnessing to him where you are, in the sure hope that he will return as he promised. He will come back; in the meantime, be his witness, rather than gazing into the sky or speculating about the day.

Lord Jesus, before you ascended, you redirected your disciples twice: from speculating about the times to the task of being your witnesses, and from gazing into the sky after you to getting on with the work you gave them, in the sure hope of your return. Let that redirection reach me. I can be preoccupied with speculating about the times and the end, trying to know what the Father has kept in his own authority; and I can stand, as it were, gazing wistfully into the sky, caught up in longing or speculation, rather than getting on with the work you have given me. But you redirect me to the task: be my witness. Keep me from spending my energy speculating about the times, or standing idly by. Help me get on with the work you have given, witnessing to you where I am, in the sure hope that you will return as you promised. You will come back; in the meantime, help me be your witness, rather than gazing into the sky or speculating about the day. Send me out in your name.