It is a scenario that every parent dreads, their child has gone missing. Panic and worry are only relieved once the child is located safe and sound. And so it was for Mary and Joseph when they discovered Jesus was missing from their travel caravan. Having returned to Jerusalem, they finally found him in the temple listening and asking questions of the teachers.
When asked by his mother why he had done what he had, Jesus answered, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Hearing this passage from Luke, we almost immediately zero in on Jesus’s response about being in his Father’s house. But how often do we consider the first part of his answer? Jesus asked his mother, “Why were you looking for me?” For Christians today, this simple question opens us to so many possibilities.
People are looking for Jesus for forgiveness of their sins. They are looking for him because they are experiencing sickness, grief, pain and loneliness. They are looking for Jesus because they need someone who can save them from all of these and more. Jesus is that someone. In fact, he is the only one. As you encounter those seeking Jesus, bring them to the Father’s house. There they will find him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, bless me with your mercy and grace. Amen.
In the Beginning 