Jesus knew ordinary. He knew the feel of a splinter in his thumb, the smell of earth and sawdust, the sound of nails against boards. He understood deadlines and demanding customers. He comprehended the common, the kind of day that slips right by without fanfare or fireworks. Ted Olsen said, “As carpenters, Joseph and Jesus would have created mainly farm tools (carts, plows, winnowing forks, and yokes), house parts (doors, frames, posts, and beams), furniture, and kitchen utensils.”
Jesus likely would have begun his work as a carpenter while still a teenager, spending over a decade in that role. If you’ve ever felt like you “wasted time” consider this… Only ten percent of Jesus’s life was spent on the public part of his story.
Like Jesus, we will all have “carpenter years.” This can lead to us to think we’re not living up to our potential. We might feel like we could be doing something more, something bigger. We can resist the smallness. But what if the time we see as wasted, God sees as having great worth?
So much of God’s plan is a mystery. But those “wasted” years in his life, in ours? It seems clear there is no such thing. The Master Carpenter knows how to make every part useful, every part beautiful. And he is not done with his work in us yet.
A gentle prayer for today: Jesus, I love the beautiful, ordinary, miraculous story of your life. I trust you with every part of my story too. Amen.
Cheering you on,
Holley
More For You
– If you’d like encouragement like this each day, you can find it in my new devotional book, 365 Truths for Every Woman’s Heart (download a free excerpt). I’ve heard from many of you that you love giving it to others too! Thank you so much!
– Sometimes hurt in a relationship is what makes us feel like we have “wasted years” in our lives. I created my online course, Heal After You’re Hurt, to help you and Jesus make something new and beautiful out of the brokenness. Plus it’s on sale!
– Are you on the YouVersion Bible App? I create free devotional plans you can read. Just search for “Holley Gerth” on the app (tip: remember the “e” in my first name).
