Today’s Reading: Luke 2:21-52
Optional Readings: Matthew 2:19-23
Jesus Preparation for Ministry
The themes of preparation and waiting are seen all through the Bible.
Joseph waited 22 YEARS to understand what God was doing through all the trials in his life. (And 13 of those years were in slavery or prison!)
The Hebrew people roamed the desert for 40 YEARS before their descendants received the land God promised.
David waited 15 years after being anointed king before actually taking the throne.
Elijah was told to go wait out in the wilderness and depend on the Lord to provide.
Sometimes God’s timing is just hard to figure out. He always has His reasons, though, so we really don’t have to figure it out. We just have to trust Him.
In today’s passages, we see several people waiting.
Simeon waited his whole life to see “the consolation of Israel,” the One who would save His people, the Messiah. As the prophetess Anna prayed and fasted at the temple for most of her life, she also looked forward to the redemption of Israel.
In a later reading, we’ll see John the Baptist zealously preaching about the Messiah, the coming wrath, the winnowing fork, and the baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He could’ve easily assumed it wouldn’t be long before these things happened! He knew that Jesus was the Messiah and Israel was ready for their redemption, so why wait?
This part is NOT Scripture, but in my mind, I wonder if John was thinking, “Here we go! …Okay, it’s coming! …Surely, now! …and…go! …and…we’re ready. …any time now. Jesus? Hello?”
Eventually, he sent Jesus a message from prison. “Are you the one who is to come or should we wait for another?” (Mt 11:3). Perhaps even the greatest of “those born of women” was having trouble understanding the waiting.
Even Jesus waited thirty years before He started His ministry.
Waiting is hard to understand and even harder to endure. I get it.
I think it’s a combination of several things that make it so hard for us. We feel that we lack control in seasons of waiting. We are naturally impatient people. (Just look at a toddler waiting for anything.) And there is a sense that waiting is a waste of time.
When we give up our need to control the timing, it gets easier.
When we trust God’s heart, we can trust His timing.
When we change our perspective to realize that waiting isn’t a waste of time, but that seasons of preparation have a productive purpose, we feel like the time is actually well spent.
Impatience breeds bitterness, resentment, and anger. Right? You’ve stood in a long line or had unexpected delays in your schedule before. You’ve seen it happen. Don’t let impatience take root.
Maybe you’re growing weary of praying for that prodigal. Maybe you resent the fact that you haven’t been promoted at work yet, despite years of proving yourself. Maybe your heart aches for a companion.
He sees you, and His timing has a purpose.
Lord, if I’m honest, I don’t always understand or embrace the seasons of preparation in my life. Increase my capacity to trust You and wait on your perfect timing. I wanna stop metaphorically pacing the floor and receive peace by just giving it up to You. Amen.
Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and take heart
And wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14