Head: Know God’s Word | Heart: Love God | Hands: Follow God’s Way
Read Luke 2
Head
Today, we are reading Luke 2, a story about when Jesus was a young boy. Very little is known of the childhood of Jesus. This story is a glimpse into the life of twelve-year-old Jesus, which is definitely interesting. When Jesus was 12, he traveled with his parents to Jerusalem for Passover. Usually, when traveling to the Passover Feast, the families would travel in groups to help avoid danger on their journey. Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was with the group of travelers, but when they realized that Jesus was not with the group, they returned to Jerusalem. They found Jesus in the temple with the teachers, where He was learning and teaching! This passage in Luke shows that even from a young age, people could tell that Jesus was special. He spoke with real wisdom and authority as He sat among the teachers in the temple.
Mary and Joseph were very surprised to find Jesus in the temple. Mary asked Jesus why He would do this and make them worry and search for Him. Let’s read Jesus’ reply. Luke 2:49 says, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Jesus explains that they did not need to look for Him because the most logical place for Him to be is in His Father’s house. Mary and Joseph thought Jesus was lost, but He was where He belonged. Luke tells us that Jesus returned to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph, and that He was obedient to them.
Heart
This story reminds us that Jesus was aware of His identity as the Son of God, but He also obeyed His parents. Jesus teaches us the importance of following God and also obeying our earthly parents.
Hands
How can you obey your parents this week?
Prayer: God, thank You for Jesus! Thank You for the wise people in my life who I can learn from. Help me to be a good listener and be obedient. I love You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.