Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Expectations

To prepare for next semester's class in The Gospel of Luke, I've been reading ahead in the three commentaries which are required. I've been reading this week about the births of John, the Prophet of God and Jesus, the Son of God.

I can't help but wonder what the childhood and young adulthood of these men were like. When I think of this time of life for Jesus in particular, I wonder what people expected of him. Those privy to the Annunciation, to his birth, and to the signs and wonders which accompanied it had to have pretty high hopes for this boy/young man. After all, this was the Messiah! This was the Deliverer! All of the hopes the Jews had to escape Roman oppression and to reestablish their prominence as God's chosen people rested on his shoulders.

Did he get a lot of looks as a carpenter's apprentice? Did anybody ask outright when he planned to get down to business? Was he treated like a king in a false expectation of his role on earth? Or was he treated poorly when some felt he wasn't carrying out God's will for him?

Many of us grow impatient with God's timing. I wonder if, even after the Messiah had been born, even after centuries of waiting and watching, even then were people anxious about Jesus' activities? And how did he respond? With a smile and an "it's not yet time?" Or with silent understanding, knowing that even when he began his ministry, people would be disappointed.


And how does he respond now, as he intercedes for us? How does his role play out, explaining...and even understanding...the impatient expectations of such temporary souls?

1 Comments:

At 1:40 PM, Blogger Meowmix said...

Good questions. Wish I had some answers! But imagining Jesus' time of life before His ministry began becomes an enigma for me sometimes. He was God. He was human. Did God have a dog or maybe a cat? Did He......??? A million questions.

His intercessory role, now, becomes more precious to me every day.

 

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