I Must Be About My Father’s Business

the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother
knew not of it.
But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him
in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them,

and asking them questions.
And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother
said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy
father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?


Jesus had been taken to the temple every Sabbath as a child growing up in Nazareth. Once a year, as all Jews did, they went to Jerusalem for the Passover. The hill of Calvary was on the north side of Jerusalem and as they exited through that gate each year Jesus would have seen the hill upon which he would be crucified. He saw the occupation of Rome which began before his birth. He didn't get involved with the politics of Rome or the friction between everyone on how they felt. We see ourselves getting caught up in this all the time. Jesus saw the vanity of that. He concerned himself with the souls of men. He saw us not as a faceless mask but as individuals in need of a Savior. Luke 19:10 states For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. At 12 years of age Jesus knew why He had come. He looked through the eyes of a child to the people of that day.

Mary and Joseph left Jerusalem thinking Jesus was among them. When they knew He was not with them, it scared them. They had the responsibility for God's Son. They both loved him. God had placed him in their care so that He could give him to the world. It should be scary to us when we think the Lord is in our caravan–we get so caught up with things and look around and Jesus is not where we thought He was. On a daily basis we need to make sure of where He is in our life.

After much searching, they found him on the third day. He was in the temple. They heard his voice among the rulers. Those at the temple were seeking the Messiah and little did they know that the 12-year old boy who sat among them was He. Malachi says that suddenly the Lord shall come to his temple. They marveled at his wisdom. They surely knew He was special. He came as one of us for us. He was in the midst of the rulers not the other way around. The teacher sits in the midst, not the student. This is what Mary and Joseph saw. All they could think of was that Jesus got careless. Mary asked why He had done this. We worry and fret but overlook the blessing of the Lord in our life. He's in the center of everyday; He's in the house. Sometimes we look so much at what's not around that we don't see what is. HE IS HERE. It's the same on Monday, Tuesday…and everyday. He speaks to us; we have other things on our mind and don't recognize Him. Mary and Joseph interrupted them to speak to Jesus. He said you should know that I must be about my Father's business. I can hear the Lord saying to me Bob, you should know I'm here in your pressures. Bob, you should know I here when you're down and out. Bob, you should know I'm here when you're sick. Bob, you should know. THE LORD IS NEVER MISSING. We should know where Jesus is and what He's doing. I won't do anything about my Father's business until I realize that Jesus is doing his Father's business. We can make it because Jesus is about his Father's business. JESUS IS OUR LIFE.

Jesus was right where they should have known He would be for He was where He was supposed to be–about his Father's business. What about us? Where are we? Are we about the Father's business? We can be. Because HE IS FAITHFUL, we can BE FAITHFUL. Because HE IS IN THE HOUSE we CAN BE IN THE HOUSE. Because HE IS IN OUR EVERYDAY we CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAYS. He's in the center of it all, whatever comes up. It's not up to us to figure things out. We trust the Lord to show the way. Jesus is the way and makes the way. He told Moses to remember who He is and just trust him.

We are blessed everyday to realize that Jesus is where He's supposed to be. We should let him be Lord and also be about our Father's business.