John 7:1-9
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." (For not even his brothers believed in him.) Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come." After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
His brothers said to him, “No one who wants to be widely known acts in secret.” But Jesus responds that his time has not yet come (be patient!). Go to the festival yourselves, he tells them. Over and over in the gospels we hear Jesus tell someone he has healed not to say a word to anyone, and it can be confusing. We, like his brothers, think that Jesus should want the world to know – after all, isn’t this good news, these healings that he’s doing?
It can be difficult to hear Jesus say “My time has not yet come” and to understand what that means. In the same line as yesterday, I’m not that patient to just sit around and wait – I want the world to know these amazing things! But of course, Jesus won’t be rushed, and he speaks to truths and wisdom far greater than anything the brothers or we can imagine.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
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