Today’s Reading: Luke 2:39-52

The writers of the gospels seem to fast forward through Jesus’ childhood. Not much is written about the time between the visit with the wisemen and the journey to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve years old. Out of curiosity, we wonder what it would have been like to raise the Son of God. We imagine Jesus playing with his brothers, watching his father build things with wood, or cuddling up beside the fire with his mother after a long day. Most likely, Jesus had a pretty normal childhood.

Luke describes Jesus as a healthy and strong child, filled with wisdom and favored by God. Each year he would go to Jerusalem with his parents for the Passover festival. When he was twelve years old, Mary and Joseph realized that he was not with the rest of their group as they traveled back home from the city.

When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he meant. – Luke 2:45-50

Have you ever lost your child, even for just a minute? The feeling that surges through you is far beyond what the word “panic” describes. I get that same feeling when I am at a store and I hear a mother looking for her child. I stop what I’m doing and immediately try to help her. My heart goes out to her as she frantically searches.

This must have been how Mary was feeling that day as she looked for her son – the son she knew belonged to God and yet was very much her child. I know the fear of a few seconds of being unable to find my daughter, but I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Mary to go through THREE DAYS of searching for her son. Did she sleep at night? How many “what if” scenarios played through her mind from the time she confirmed Jesus was missing until the moment they found him in the Temple? How relieved she must have been when she found him!

The bible says Mary and Joseph did not know what to think when they found Jesus in the Temple (NLT); they were amazed (KJV) or astonished (NIV). I have had a few parent-moments like this — moments of “Are you kidding me?!” or “What were you thinking?!” Perhaps Jesus’ parents had a similar reaction. The Greek word “ekpletto” was used to describe the reaction of Joseph and Mary. It is a very strong word that means to knock someone out of their senses, to strike with astonishment or perhaps terror or admiration.

After an exhausting three day search for their son, Joseph and Mary walked into the temple and found Jesus. He was not just sitting among the Jewish teachers, he was listening intently to them; he was asking questions and then responding with his own understanding and answers. Yes, I am guessing that “ekpletto” would be the proper word for the reaction of more than just Joseph and Mary that day.

“Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” – Luke 2:49b

Jesus was drawn to His Father, his heart connected to God. Just as I can relate to Mary in this passage, I can also relate to Jesus. I love those moments when my heart is pulled so strongly toward God that I cannot get enough of Him. I love those moments when I am surrounded by His presence with no desire to ever be separated from Him.

My prayer this morning is that we will all experience a strong pull toward God this Christmas. I pray that your time alone with God draws you like a strong magnet as we run into His presence each day. I pray that as Sunday approaches, we do not anticipate just another Sunday morning worship time but that we rush into His sanctuary with the spirit of I must be in my Father’s house! Let us respond to God’s invitation to spend time with him today without resistance.

Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. – Luke 2:51-52