Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Luke 2:41-52
The verse in the story above that really hit me was “But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” Even though Mary admonished Jesus for worrying both of them, on the inside she was very proud of him. As a mother, this warms my heart. This story shows us that Mary had the same feelings two thousand years ago that we experience today with our own children. Worry, anxiety, fear, relief, and pride. This is incredibly humbling to me.
My daughter graduated from high school a couple of weeks ago. Her dad and I are having a difficult time letting go. In a split second, she became a young adult and all of the sudden the rules are changing. We have to adapt or we’ll have a strained relationship. She’s struggling to find her way in a new world. Is she still a teenager or is she an adult? This is even a more trying time for all of us than the early teen years. We are all trying to adjust, learn and stumble our way through this transition. I turned to God for advice and help and the scripture above was his response! Not bad, huh? I don’t have answers but I have the greatest guide possible – the Almighty Lord.
By the way, did anyone else wonder how in the world Mary and Joseph could lose their son and not know it for a day? This makes me feel a little better about the time that we left our youngest son in the vehicle sleeping for several hours. His dad thought I carried him in and I thought his dad carried him in; but, this is a story for another day!
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