Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. When he was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to their custom. After the festival was over, they were returning home, but the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t know it. Supposing that he was among their band of travelers, they journeyed on for a full day while looking for him among their family and friends. When they didn’t find Jesus, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and putting questions to them. Everyone who heard him was amazed by his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother said, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We’ve been looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he said to them. Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. His mother cherished every word in her heart. Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people. (Luke 2:41-52, CEB)
I love this passage of scripture especially when I feel like I have failed as a parent, which I assumed would drop in number when my kids were college age, but it has only seemed to increase. But yet I have never left my children behind somewhere I did not know where they were.
Here we see his parents, unnamed, go to Jerusalem every year for the Passover Festival. And when Jesus was 12, they went as was the custom, but when they were ready to leave they assumed Jesus was with other family members and they journeyed three days away before they realized Jesus was not with them.
Makes my failures as a parent seem kind of small. But they should have known where Jesus was. If I would have left my children behind there is no telling where they would have been. Jesus had to be with His Father. Learning and helping others grow closer to the Father.
Oh if we all were so close to God that we would always be found seeking to be in God’s presence.
Loving People. Loving God.
aSacredRebel 