By Evangelist John BJ Hall
As I am sitting here this evening writing this blog post, I think about the so called “hidden years” in Jesus’ life. I think of how wondrous it is that He would spend the first thirty years of His life in the humdrum, work-a-day world of a common laborer.
If I were going to spin you a tale and start a new religion, I would have this young man performing miracles, bringing dead birds back to life, showing himself for who He was; The Son of the One True God. If I were telling the story I would have him miraculously heal the broken bone of a friend who fell out of a tree.
If I were telling the story, when Jesus went to the Temple at the age of twelve, not only would He have taught the teachers, I would have Him stay at the temple instead of going home with Mary and Joseph. The whole world would know about His wisdom and they would have come to the Child Jesus, like they came to Solomon, seeking His advice. Because of His wisdom, the King would invite Him to live with him in the palace.
But thankfully I am not the one telling the story. When Jesus was teaching at the Temple, Mary and Joseph came and found Him and took Him home. He did not object. He showed obedience. The Creator of the universe submitted to the authority of His mother and step-father.
He went back to Nazareth to grow and develop as a man. To work with Joseph in the carpenter’s shop. He grew up cutting wood, hammering nails, bringing each piece of work to completion.
He is not heard of again until he is thirty years old and we see Him standing by the Jordan River waiting to be baptized by John.
I find great comfort in the fact that Jesus lived the simple life. It encourages me to know that everything that is worth doing is worth doing well. Rev. Vance Havner put it this way in his book REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPELS; “Thirty years of simple living, next to nature and amidst humanity, and busy at work with time to read and pray—it is a life this feverish age does not know. It shows its flavor in the many references to sparrows, lilies, the sower, the fields; it is colored with the atmosphere of the field, the fisherman's boat and net, the sea, the shop, the soil.”
For this reason, I know that He is able to understand the things of life that I experience. Did He ever miss the nail and smash His own thumb? I don’t know. Some have suggested that Joseph died before Jesus entered His ministry. If that is true, He most certainly knows what it is like to lose a parent in death. I am sure that He lost friends in death. Their world was not an easy world to live in.
This is the answer to that question, “Where was He when my child died?” He most certainly could have taken the easy way out for His family and raised His earthly father from the dead and returned him to Mary. But He did not do so. He walked with her through the loss.
For this reason I do know that He can see me through the most crushing circumstances of life, not only because He has experienced them, but because He walks with me through them.
If you know Him, not just about Him, if you have a relationship with Him; He will walk with you every step of your journey through life. If you do not know Him, you can receive Him as personal Savior and Lord of your life. He wants to have that relationship with you. Follow the link http://passagesministries.org/the-most-important-question and you will find how you can have that relationship.
Thank You Jesus
Thank you Jesus for coming our way.
Thank you Jesus for coming to stay.
We turn in repentance,
You give us forgiveness.
We thank you Jesus for loving us today.
You’re our hope and salvation alway’.
You’re the one through Whom we must pray.
We give our lives to you,
To do what you would do.
We thank you Jesus for loving us today.
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For permission to use this poem contact Passages Ministries.