Luke 2:49
Why were you searching for me? he asked. Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?
Where is Eliot? I don’t see him down by the sand! Terror gripped my heart as we searched frantically for our young son. Every parent’s nightmare is losing a child. In our case, Eliot was still right on the shore, hidden by the large hole he had dug in the sand and was sitting in. It was not that easy when the Savior of the world was ‘lost’ from his parents!
You know the familiar story, Jesus and his parents had him in Jerusalem for the Passover. At the time to go back home, they assumed that the 12-year-old Jesus was with other relatives as they traveled in a caravan of family members. After a day when they did not see the boy, they began frantically looking and asking if anyone had seen him. Soon they realized that they needed to return to Jerusalem. In the city, they searched for a day before they returned to the Temple. Thats where they found him! He was sitting in the Temple courts listening to the teachers and asking them questions.
This is a great illustration to remind us that Jesus was fully human and prone to those pesky human problems. But it is so much more than that! Let’s take a look.
When we give our heart and life to Jesus, we are expected to grow in the knowledge of His Word, His deeds, and become more and more like Him in our daily living. That doesn’t always happen. Sometimes we get lazy and slack off on our Bible reading. Or we miss a few church services and start making poor choices. Jesus reminds His parents-when they find Him-that He must be about His Father’s business. Even at the age of 12 His focus was learning more of the Torah from the Jewish scholars. He must have just become so immersed in their teaching and His surroundings, that the world around Him had nothing compelling Him to leave their Godly presence.
Our own lives should also reflect this commitment. We often become so wrapped up in the world and its activities and trappings that we lose our focus and go on about our busy lives running on less-than-optimal Holy Spirit power! This is a dangerous to be my friends! Mistakes are easily made; words may be said that hurt the ones you love. Mary and Joseph seemed to find themselves in this predicament. They just celebrated Passover but failed to keep their eyes on the Passover Lamb that was entrusted to their care. Of course, I don’t want to be too harsh on them as they did think He was being taken care of by other family members. Let’s not become careless or assume that our relationship with God will just go humming along just fine as if on an automatic pilot. A relationship takes work and diligence.
When Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem, they searched in the city to no avail. Finally, the went to the last place they had seen Jesus-in the Temple! There He was! I am reminded that Jesus does not move from us-we move from Him. We will find Him again right where we left Him. He will be overjoyed-so will we, when we return to right standing with our Savior.
We are only a day away from a new year and a new opportunity to return to your heavenly Father, if you got lost! You will find Him right where you left Him, just waiting for a joyful return at your homecoming!
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