Lent: Journey Through the Holy Land – Part 10

In 2014 during the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college I was an intern at Liberty United Methodist Church through the Missouri Annual Conference. During my time at Liberty UMC, I worked alongside four other interns. Together with Joy and Elliott, the youth directors, we read Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole.

I hadn’t really thought much about the book the last several years. Well that was until I was on a plane headed to Israel.

I knew no one going into this experience. I felt anonymous. I wasn’t sure what it would be like. I was worried I might be overlooked or hidden.

At the very beginning of her book, Alicia Britt Chole introduces the following equation:

10% visible + 90% unseen = an indestructible life

We just experienced the Christmas story together, and I’m sure you know much of what happens after Jesus’ ministry begins.

But what happens in between?

I’m sure you’re thinking: wait, what? What you do mean by: what happens in between?

Here’s what we know from scripture about Jesus’s life prior to the start of his ministry:

1. Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
2. Eight days later Jesus was circumcised in the temple.
3. Around the age of two the wise men from the East visited Jesus.
4. At twelve, Jesus got in trouble for staying in the temple when he should have been traveling home with Mary and Joseph.

That’s it. Next thing we know, Jesus is 30 years old and starting his earthly ministry.

So, what happens in between?

Alicia Britt Chole refers to this “between” as Jesus’ hidden years. The years we don’t know anything about. The years Jesus spent growing up and preparing for his ministry to start.

Have you ever thought about Jesus’ hidden years? I thought about them almost every day during my time in Israel. Wondering what places Jesus went that we don’t have written record of – what people he encountered – what lives he changed.

Do you ever feel like you’d had hidden years?

Tomorrow we’ll dive in deeper to the indestructible life equation and Jesus’ hidden years.

Lord, sometimes we feel hidden – from You, from others, from ourselves. Remind us that Your love for us never ends. You see us each and every day. We are not hidden from You. You are always with us. Thank You for that. Amen.

Abbey Jo