Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

Jesus is in Galilee, not Judea, because he knew the Jewish leaders were seeking to kill him. Sometimes it is the wise course to flee danger, to avoid persecution, and not to rush in where angels fear to tread. His brothers urge Jesus to go up to Jerusalem for the feast. They argue that if he wants to be a public figure, then he cannot hide away but must show himself in public. Their argument shows that even His brothers do not believe in him. If Jesus being deserted by some of His disciples must have been hard, surely it was at least equally hard to find that His brothers had little, if any, faith that He knew what He was doing.

Strange thought, but to me, it is those closest to Jesus by familiarity and upbringing who find it hardest to trust Jesus in reality. Jesus counters His brothers’ argument by saying that His time has not yet come. The hour, the hour of Jesus’ crucifixion, is not yet here. This is why he is not showing Himself in public, for this would lead inevitably to Him being killed. But Jesus’ hour has not yet come. Note how carefully planned out Jesus's life is. Even His death, which superficially appears to be the plot of His enemies, is really Jesus’ plan and will happen at the time and hour of His choosing. 

Every part of our life is scripted according to His plan too, and when it seems as if we are waiting for some answer to prayer, perhaps the answer is that the hour has not yet come. In the end, Jesus does go up to the feast. He has a message to deliver, and He will deliver it. But He does not go up publicly or openly. It is wise to consider not only the message we are called to deliver but also the best means by which to deliver that message. At the feast, it is discovered that there was muttering of diverse opinions about Jesus. The same is true today, people say that Jesus is one thing, and others say He is another. But we know that He is the living Lord, the Christ, God incarnate, the One who has the words of eternal life. I think sometimes, as Christians, we allow our passion for leading people to know, love, and follow Jesus to overcome our ability to effectively communicate the way Jesus does. He is calling us to approach everything we do in life with tact, timing, and ultimately for His glory.  

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
  
• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
  
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
  
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
  
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.