Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3 closes with the familiar affirmation:

And as Jesus rose up out of the water, the heavenly realm opened up over him and he saw the Holy Spirit descend out of the heavens and rest upon him in the form of a dove. Then suddenly the voice of the Father shouted from the sky, saying, “This is the Son I love, and my greatest delight is in him.”. (Matthew 3.16, 17, Passion Translation)

“This is the Son I love, and my greatest delight is in him.” My friend and former pastor Jim Singleton used to say that this blessing and affirmation came BEFORE Jesus had done anything. But that’s not quite true. He had done something: he had grown up in an obscure town, patiently waiting for the right time, and in the meantime, no doubt, he was working in the carpenter shop. 

Jesus knew the Isaiah prophecies of “the voice,” so by now he knew he had to wait.

And the Father is well pleased with him, maybe primarily in his identity as my friend Jim suggested, but the Father also was well pleased with his submission to his mother and his years of preparation. Prep time counts!

Paul originally charged off into ministry, but God shunted him off into the desert. “You need some prep time.” (See Galatians 1.15 – 18).

June is undertaking a 3-year program of study to be a spiritual director. Prep time! God is pleased with that.

On a daily basis, I need prep time! I can’t just get up and charge off into the day. Time in the quiet counts. I should also take a weekly sabbath and a monthly or quarterly day of prayer. God’s pleasure is in the quiet as well as in the bustle of activity. 

So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. (Luke 5.16, NKJV)