There is a set time. A time where everything seems to be put in motion and operating with momentum and accuracy. A time when our gifts, talents, and training meet our call and purpose. This time does not just happen, although it has been set. We have a part to play in entering into our predestined purpose.
Jesus was 12 years old and He had left His mother and father to be in the presence of the wise scholars in Jerusalem. His own parents didn’t even notice that He was missing until they had traveled an entire day! This tickles me as a parent in today’s society. I can’t imagine how it would feel to misplace any child, but they lost Jesus!
Luke 2:46-47 (NKJV)
46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
Of course, Jesus wasn’t in danger’s way. He was amongst leaders who were fascinated with His knowledge and understanding. Even in all that He knew, He was there to learn more!
At 12, Jesus probably had enough knowledge to run circles around our modern day Christian leaders. He probably could have led services and taught the scholars a thing or two.
Luke 2:49-50 (NKJV)
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
The reality is, it wasn’t time. Jesus’ own parents, knowing He was the Son of God, couldn’t yet understand His message. He would not have been received out of His timing. There were things that needed to take place before His big reveal.
Luke 2:51-52 (NKJV)
Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
His mother kept all that Had happened in her heart. I’m sure she prayed and fought in the spirit to keep Him in line with His purpose!
Although Jesus was knowledgeable, He was not yet mature. He had to go through some life lessons to gain wisdom that can only come through experience. He had to really know His flesh and learn practical things. He had to walk in perfect obedience during this time of growth to become a pure sacrifice. He had to grow naturally and understand what being a man is like.
The Bible doesn’t list all of His experiences. We can only imagine the kind of things that He did. He probably helped His Dad with his carpentry, He might have helped His mom get food and cook. Whatever it was that He learned, it added to His ability to have compassion for people.
I know some of us are tired of waiting. Some of us have been standing on prophetic promises for years. Jesus waited. He waited until He was mature. He waited 18 years from the time that He was left at the Temple being about His Father’s business.
It’s time to allow God to perfect us. We may have the knowledge for our call, but do we have the wisdom? Have we grown in favor with God and man? Have we allowed God to work compassion into our hearts to the point of death? Do we have a yes so secure in our souls that when we face our garden of Gethsemane, we will still keep pursuing our assignment?
I want to do what God wants me to do, but I don’t want to do it in my own strength! So we wait. We pray. We repent. We grow. We mature. We make connections. We grow in favor. We be about our Father’s business!
Father, we thank you for our prophetic promises. Thank You for our gifts and purpose. Forgive us for becoming anxious and getting frustrated. We do not want to be out of Your timing. We want to grow in wisdom and stature. We want to be about our Father’s business and always be teachable and pliable. Align us with our purpose. Help us grow in favor. Pour out Your wisdom on us. We want to know the fullness of our purpose and the depths of Your love that will cause us to move with compassion. We wait for Your timing and settle a yes in our soul. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
Jesus was 12 years old and He had left His mother and father to be in the presence of the wise scholars in Jerusalem. His own parents didn’t even notice that He was missing until they had traveled an entire day! This tickles me as a parent in today’s society. I can’t imagine how it would feel to misplace any child, but they lost Jesus!
Luke 2:46-47 (NKJV)
46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
Of course, Jesus wasn’t in danger’s way. He was amongst leaders who were fascinated with His knowledge and understanding. Even in all that He knew, He was there to learn more!
At 12, Jesus probably had enough knowledge to run circles around our modern day Christian leaders. He probably could have led services and taught the scholars a thing or two.
Luke 2:49-50 (NKJV)
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
The reality is, it wasn’t time. Jesus’ own parents, knowing He was the Son of God, couldn’t yet understand His message. He would not have been received out of His timing. There were things that needed to take place before His big reveal.
Luke 2:51-52 (NKJV)
Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
His mother kept all that Had happened in her heart. I’m sure she prayed and fought in the spirit to keep Him in line with His purpose!
Although Jesus was knowledgeable, He was not yet mature. He had to go through some life lessons to gain wisdom that can only come through experience. He had to really know His flesh and learn practical things. He had to walk in perfect obedience during this time of growth to become a pure sacrifice. He had to grow naturally and understand what being a man is like.
The Bible doesn’t list all of His experiences. We can only imagine the kind of things that He did. He probably helped His Dad with his carpentry, He might have helped His mom get food and cook. Whatever it was that He learned, it added to His ability to have compassion for people.
I know some of us are tired of waiting. Some of us have been standing on prophetic promises for years. Jesus waited. He waited until He was mature. He waited 18 years from the time that He was left at the Temple being about His Father’s business.
It’s time to allow God to perfect us. We may have the knowledge for our call, but do we have the wisdom? Have we grown in favor with God and man? Have we allowed God to work compassion into our hearts to the point of death? Do we have a yes so secure in our souls that when we face our garden of Gethsemane, we will still keep pursuing our assignment?
I want to do what God wants me to do, but I don’t want to do it in my own strength! So we wait. We pray. We repent. We grow. We mature. We make connections. We grow in favor. We be about our Father’s business!
Father, we thank you for our prophetic promises. Thank You for our gifts and purpose. Forgive us for becoming anxious and getting frustrated. We do not want to be out of Your timing. We want to grow in wisdom and stature. We want to be about our Father’s business and always be teachable and pliable. Align us with our purpose. Help us grow in favor. Pour out Your wisdom on us. We want to know the fullness of our purpose and the depths of Your love that will cause us to move with compassion. We wait for Your timing and settle a yes in our soul. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
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