March 27

"Jesus did not ignore His relation to His earthly parents. From Jerusalem He returned home with them, and aided them in their life of toil. He hid in His own heart the mystery of His mission, waiting submissively for the appointed time for Him to enter upon His work. For eighteen years after He had recognized that He was the Son of God, He acknowledged the tie that bound Him to the home at Nazareth, and performed the duties of a son, a brother, a friend, and a citizen.”

         Desire of Ages, page 82 from the chapter, 'The Passover visit'

     Eighteen years. Now that’s what I call patience! My wife and I have been waiting for some time. We are getting impatient. I think we have waited for 20 days. Jesus waited for a further 18 years before He stepped onto the stage as the Son of God being fully about His Father’s business.

     What does that say about Jesus? I want to look at one thing. Jesus had almost superhuman patience. Jesus is like His Father. Time meant less to Him than it does to us. We can see that from one simple verse, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3

     To Jesus eternal life, or even 18 years, is not a time but a relationship. Eighteen years waiting meant nothing to Jesus because His relationship with God was the key to His life. Those 18 years passed quickly because all of that time was time with His Father.

     Next time you are tempted to think that time is passing too slowly think that all that time is extra time for you and your Father to be together.