Hidden in Christ

By Marilyn McGrath

Scripture: Luke 2:41-43, 49-52

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Most of Jesus’ life is unknown to us, but do we really think that it was unimportant? That nothing was happening? Alicia Britt Chloe has this to say about the life of Jesus:

"Only three years, less than 10 percent, of Jesus’ days are visible through the writings of the Bible. Over 90 percent of his earthly life is submerged in the unseen...Onlookers saw only the tip of the iceberg of who Jesus truly was, and they could have never imagined the indestructible greatness growing just beneath the surface of Jesus’ unapplauded life.

“'What would Jesus do?' we ask sincerely...Well, for starters, he embraced a life of hiddenness...With his life (and with ours), it is critical that we not mistake unseen for unimportant...From God’s perspective, anonymous seasons are sacred spaces. They are quite literally formative, to be rested in, not rushed through--and most definitely not to be regretted...Hidden years are the surprising birthplace of true spiritual greatness."

Peter Scazzero writes:

The pattern of Jesus’ life is meant to be a model for us. We too are to make disciples, carry our cross, and access resurrection power. Our anonymous, unseen seasons are sacred and not to be rushed. Just as he did in Jesus, God is birthing true spiritual greatness in us during our times and places of hiddenness.

So, I ask myself, what important but unseen work might God be doing in, through, and in spite of any hiddenness I am experiencing right now?

Father, sometimes I act as though I am in charge of running the world. Forgive me. Teach me to be patient and to remain hidden when appropriate. May I not rush your slow, sacred work of forming Christ in me--even when I don’t understand what you are doing. In Jesus’ name, amen.