Jesus spent the first 30 years of his earthly life in relative obscurity. That’s a bit curious considering his purpose was one of eternal proportions. The ratio seems off: just over 10 percent of his time spent on the main goal, the other 90 percent in childhood, adolescence, losing his parents when he snuck off to the temple, and an apprenticeship in carpentry.

While that approach is hard to wrap our heads around, when he began that final 10 percent of his life, his focus on and preparation for gathering his team was deliberate and intentional. Perhaps knowing that his ratio of ministry time to lifetime was limited drove him to prayerful consideration and an intentional care in choosing his disciples, in whose hands the future of this movement would be placed.

I am just sure that my Sunday school teacher and my backyard Bible club leader told me stories of Jesus going off by himself to a solitary place to pray. And following that time of prayer, probably days of prayer, Jesus returned ...