"When they couldn't find him (Jesus), they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there." -Luke 2:45
Earlier this year while I was in Moscow, Russia I discovered I had lost my passport! If you've ever been to Moscow, you know this is not a place you want to lose your passport. It's something you are required to have on you at all times. As I started to think back to the last time I had it, I realized it had been a few days, and it could be anywhere. My mind started racing thinking through all the places it could be and what could happen if I didn't find it. I was in a panic.
If you've ever lost anything, you can probably relate to my story. You get a rush of fear which can quickly turn to dread or even hysteria.
In Luke Chapter 2 we see that Jesus' parents took Him to Jerusalem when He was 12 years old for the Feast of the Passover. They traveled as a caravan over the seventy miles from Nazareth to Jerusalem. They observed the feast a total of eight days. When it came time to leave Joseph and Mary assumed Jesus was in their company, with extended family or friends. They went a day's journey before they realized He was not with them.
Imagine the panic they must have felt. The dread in their stomachs that their 12-year-old son was missing. They probably had everyone in a frenzy looking for him among the caravan. Their minds likely flooded with worry thinking of Jesus in the capital of Israel all alone. "When they could not find Him (among the caravan), they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." Luke 2:45-46. Jesus had been in the capital, in His Father's house.
Jesus never left His parents just like He will never leave you (see Hebrews 13:5). We're the ones who leave Jesus or temporarily allow things to distract us. Jesus wants to be a part of every area of our lives. Too many people leave Jesus at church on Sundays
Jesus' parents dropped everything they were doing and went to find their son. They were desperate! And in their desperation, they found Him.
Jesus is looking for people who will diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) If your relationship with Jesus is not where it should be then it's time to come back. He's waiting with open arms.
Going Deeper:
- If you're a parent, imagine leaving and discovering you left your child in a massive city all by himself/herself.
- Or imagine you lost the thing that matters most to you and you may never find it again, like a passport while you're in a distant country. What would you do?
- Have you ever gone to church and had a wonderful time of celebrating how good Jesus is and then went a day or two without spending time with Him?
- When's the last time you dropped everything and desperately went to find Jesus? How could you start doing that today?
