Our Father's Business

The Bible provides us with very little regarding the boyhood days of Jesus. But in Luke 2:41-50, Luke shares this story of when Jesus was 12 years old. 

Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem when Mary and Joseph had left for the journey home. They didn’t realize He wasn’t with them. After a three-day search, where did they find Him? In the temple, sitting among the teachers of the Old Testament, listening, and asking questions. The Bible says that everyone that heard Him were astonished, amazed at His level of understanding about the scriptures. When Mary and Joseph found Him, they too were amazed that He was in this setting and asked Him why He did not leave with them. The answer He gave left them puzzled. He said to them, “wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”. Verse 50 says, “And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.”

 I find this story to be quite remarkable. That priority number one for the 12-year-old Jesus would be in the temple, teaching the scriptures. Doing His Father’s business. For many Christians today, time in church competes with time at the lake, on the golf course, shopping, or many other activities. Activities that are placed before time in church. We could all learn something from this boyhood story of Jesus. Of course, there are other things that can be drawn from this story, but let’s make sure we get this one; nothing is more important than our Father’s business. Living for God, sharing our faith, learning more about our great God and Savior, must be high on our list of priorities.

 Are you busy doing your Heavenly Father’s work? If not, perhaps you could learn something from a very special 12-year-old boy, Jesus. 

The Pastor’s Pocket

Pastor Bruce Freeman

 

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