In HIs Time

"Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli."
Luke 3:23

Jesus is the foundation of Christianity. His life and ministry are so vital to us that there would be no salvation, no healing, no blessing without it. We know who he was and what he did. We understand his life, death, and resurrection. There is a part of Jesus' life that we don't often talk about. It is an important part of what he taught us, even though he never talked about it.
    Jesus was thirty years old when he started his ministry. He never performed a miracle, taught publicly, or gathered disciples before that time. So what did he do from the time he was born until thirty years of age? He grew up just as you and I did. Joseph, his earthly father, is thought to have died when Jesus was still a boy. As the eldest son, it would have been the responsibility of Jesus to care for his family. He had brothers, sisters, and of course, Mary, his mother to provide for. So from the time he was a teenager until thirty years old, Jesus was a carpenter. He worked every day to care for those he loved. There was no glory, no followers.
    There is a time for everything. Even God's own Son had to put in his time before he was released to do what he came to do. I think we sometimes forget this part of the Christian life. Yet, Jesus taught us this reality by his own example. God has always required preparation time before releasing people into the destiny he has provided. Moses had to tend sheep, working for his father-in-law until he was 80 years old, before he went to deliver the children of Israel. Joseph spent several years in an Egyptian prison before he became the second most powerful man in the land. He carried the nation through a seven year famine. King David tended sheep, and later lived a nomadic life on the run from Saul before he entered into the place God had prepared for him. Preparation time is always a part of God's plan.
    Many of you have dreams and promises from God. You believe with all your heart that there is a ministry, business, or other career that God has laid before you. But it may not be here yet. The preparation may still be taking place. Be encouraged to not give up on God. His plan is set. Although the current circumstances you are facing may seem like God has abandoned you, he hasn't. Life is a process and no matter what age you are, you are still in that process. It sometimes feels difficult and lonely, but God still has his hand on your life. Great men have put in their time doing normal jobs. Some went through times of suffering. But all, became who God intended for them to be. Take courage, take heart, take comfort. God has not forgotten you. It will all happen in his time.