When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. (Luke 2:39-52 NRSV)
Isn’t it funny we are always looking for something…
Ever lose your keys? Or how about your cell phone? Or your purse? (I have never lost my purse, and my wife does not carry one, so I have never been here, but I have been around people who have…) Or how about a child?
Have you ever been in a store and turn around and the child that was there with you a second ago is now gone? And you call their name and they do not answer. Panic sets in. And you frantically search the store for them. And when you find them you don’t know if you should feel the relief you feel from finding them or the anger you feel for them not staying with you…
Imagine how Mary and Joseph felt when they finally realized Jesus was gone and then the search and then they found him… sitting at the feet of the teachers in the temple. He was listening to and learning from and teaching in the temple. A small boy leading the teachers into deeper understanding…
Isn’t that where we should always look for things? Ok maybe we won’t find our keys, cell phones, or purses, or always our children in God’s house, but isn’t that where we can find all of the answers to our lives?
If we were as Jesus was, wanting to dig deeper into what God has for us, to better understand who we are in God, then maybe the problems in our lives would not be problems but we would see them as blessings. God gives us a great life and if we would spend more time in the relationship He gives us, it would help us see the many blessings He has given us.
aSacredRebel 