--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: (from chapter 16, \"Catacombs Presbyterian…" description: "\"“(from chapter 16, \"Catacombs Presbyterian Church\"): \"When is this going to happen? How long do we have to wait? When does construction begin? Jesus's ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/eugene-h-peterson-1745_church_from-chapter-16-catacombs-presbyterian-c_1566920.png" --- # (from chapter 16, "Catacombs Presbyterian Church"): "When… ![“(from chapter 16, "Catacombs Presbyterian Church"): "When is this going to happen? How long do we have to wait? When does construction begin? Jesus's response was 'It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.' In other words, it's none of your…” quote by Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/eugene-h-peterson-1745_church_from-chapter-16-catacombs-presbyterian-c_1566920.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/eugene-h-peterson-1745_church_from-chapter-16-catacombs-presbyterian-c_1566920.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/eugene-h-peterson-1745_church_from-chapter-16-catacombs-presbyterian-c_1566920.png) > ““(from chapter 16, "Catacombs Presbyterian Church"): "When is this going to happen? How long do we have to wait? When does construction begin? Jesus's response was 'It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.' In other words, it's none of your business. Your question is irrelevant. That kind of information is of no use to you. It would probably confuse you, might discourage you, and would certainly distract you.”” [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. God’s timing is sovereign; seeking exact dates distracts from trusting His plan. **In simple terms:** Don’t ask God for exact timing. Key Takeaway Trust God’s schedule without demanding details. Themes faith patience trust divine sovereignty Mood contemplative thoughtful Type religious reflective When to use this quote - prayer - waiting periodslife decisions - spiritual growth Key Concepts theology prophecy spiritual discipline Questions to Reflect On - Why do we crave certainty? - How can uncertainty deepen faith? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on timing can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begin Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-jesus-2124900/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Jesus Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-response-1654724/) [Know Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-times-360895/) [None of your business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/none-of-your-business/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Pastor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pastor/) [Periods Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods-father-5889927/) [Response Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response-know-1564246/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [“Our assignment is to make sure people can see Jesus clearly. 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This is not 3:33.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/sometimes-i-think-i-know-her-this-is-not-one-of-those-times-this-is/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Of the horse I will say nothing because I know the times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/of-the-horse-i-will-say-nothing-because-i-know-the-times/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Does she know about the times you used to hold me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-pickler/does-she-know-about-the-times-you-used-to-hold-me/) [Kellie Pickler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-pickler/) > [“Love, I know you before all times!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/love-i-know-you-before-all-times/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” (Acts 1:7)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-is-not-for-you-to-know-times-or-seasons-which-the-father-has-put/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“If you’re an educator, know that all times are not created equal:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/if-you-re-an-educator-know-that-all-times-are-not-created-equal/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [You never know how times will change in where you are in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-pritchard/you-never-know-how-times-will-change-in-where-you-are-in-your-life/) [A. J. Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-pritchard/) ## More by Eugene H. Peterson > [“Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/forget-about-deciding-what-s-right-for-each-other-here-s-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Liturgy gathers the holy community as it reads the Holy Scriptures into the sweeping tidal rhythms of the church year in which the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-gathers-the-holy-community-as-it-reads-the-holy-scriptures/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“The core message of the gospel is that God invades us with new life, but the setting for this is most often in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-core-message-of-the-gospel-is-that-god-invades-us-with-new-life/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Liturgy puts us to work along with all the others who have been and are being put to work in the world by and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/liturgy-puts-us-to-work-along-with-all-the-others-who-have-been-and/) [Eugene H. 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Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Religion is a very scary thing, because a pastor is in a position of power. And if you use that power badly, you ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/religion-is-a-very-scary-thing-because-a-pastor-is-in-a-position-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [The vocation of pastor(s) has been replaced by the strategies of religious entrepreneurs with business plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-vocation-of-pastor-s-has-been-replaced-by-the-strategies-of/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Repentance is a realization that what God wants from you and what you want from God are not going to be achieved by doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/repentance-is-a-realization-that-what-god-wants-from-you-and-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [It's essential for us to develop an imagination that is participatory. Art is the primary way in which this happens. It's the primary way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/it-s-essential-for-us-to-develop-an-imagination-that-is-participatory/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“My uncle Ernie didn't believe in God. At least that's what he said. But he always Went to church on Christmas. Which I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/my-uncle-ernie-didn-t-believe-in-god-at-least-that-s-what-he-said-but/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/you-don-t-make-your-words-true-by-embellishing-them-with-religious/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“And the remainder of the Message details God’s intricate and loving plan to redeem, restore, and reconcile creation back to himself after what happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/and-the-remainder-of-the-message-details-god-s-intricate-and-loving/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) [Explore all 210 Eugene H. Peterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) ## More Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Turn over the pages of history and read the damning record of the church's opposition to every advance in every field of science. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/turn-over-the-pages-of-history-and-read-the-damning-record-of-the/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/) [Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. 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