To Be in our Father's House
Passage to be read: Luke 2: 41 - 52
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked.
"Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"
(Luke 2: 49)
As children of God, we have to learn to set our priorities right. To decide and to be at the place at the right time that gives God the prominence, is important. There are numerous examples around us that lead and encourage us to have God always as our priority and His work as our own. The busy world around us would be hiding us away from realizing what we have to do at the Father's House!
Let us first look at what is referred to as "Father's House." When we read the passage mentioned above (Luke 2: 41 - 52), we learn about an incident that took place in Jesus's family, probably a very memorable one for his mother. 'The Boy Jesus at the Temple.'
The passage says that every year Jesus’ parents would go to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover and Jesus being a twelve year old boy he was taken with them, 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 - may be they thought he would be around them in the moving crowd with his own friends. But when they began looking for him among their relatives and friends they did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him. After three days (now that's really a long time!) 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. (Indeed! It's a "wow" moment for any parent.) His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” And look at this answer that Jesus gave. “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” The bible says that his parents did not understand what he was saying to them, but his mother mary kept all this in her precious memory!
Now let me tell you what appeals to me the most. "The Father's House." Look at the way Jesus claimed the entire system to be His own! Just one word, and the entire answer was spoken amongst the history that followed on earth. Taking God's work as our own is important, and that's where commitment begins. Jesus knew that everything that belongs to God, and everything that has His Father's name stamped on it, is also given into His hands to nurture and take care of.
Today, God is giving you the same calling. Each of us have the responsibility of taking care of things that are part of the Father's House. It could be just the benches and hymn books in the church or even the greater mission of sharing the love and good news of Christ extended into the outer world, it is our responsibility. It is so good to have children of God who join the chapel keeper on Saturdays cleaning and preparing the church for the next day, and it is also wonderful to have children who join in taking care of the children, youth, the men and women of the church while extending the arms of love and forgiveness to the outer world. And the Father's House today means everything that belongs to God and that is part of His greater mission.
I pray that God will give all of us the will and the liking to be a part of His Households at various levels, and work for the extension of His borders of love and forgiveness among men and women of this world.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ,
Let us first look at what is referred to as "Father's House." When we read the passage mentioned above (Luke 2: 41 - 52), we learn about an incident that took place in Jesus's family, probably a very memorable one for his mother. 'The Boy Jesus at the Temple.'
The passage says that every year Jesus’ parents would go to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover and Jesus being a twelve year old boy he was taken with them, 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 - may be they thought he would be around them in the moving crowd with his own friends. But when they began looking for him among their relatives and friends they did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him. After three days (now that's really a long time!) 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. (Indeed! It's a "wow" moment for any parent.) His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” And look at this answer that Jesus gave. “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” The bible says that his parents did not understand what he was saying to them, but his mother mary kept all this in her precious memory!
Now let me tell you what appeals to me the most. "The Father's House." Look at the way Jesus claimed the entire system to be His own! Just one word, and the entire answer was spoken amongst the history that followed on earth. Taking God's work as our own is important, and that's where commitment begins. Jesus knew that everything that belongs to God, and everything that has His Father's name stamped on it, is also given into His hands to nurture and take care of.
Today, God is giving you the same calling. Each of us have the responsibility of taking care of things that are part of the Father's House. It could be just the benches and hymn books in the church or even the greater mission of sharing the love and good news of Christ extended into the outer world, it is our responsibility. It is so good to have children of God who join the chapel keeper on Saturdays cleaning and preparing the church for the next day, and it is also wonderful to have children who join in taking care of the children, youth, the men and women of the church while extending the arms of love and forgiveness to the outer world. And the Father's House today means everything that belongs to God and that is part of His greater mission.
I pray that God will give all of us the will and the liking to be a part of His Households at various levels, and work for the extension of His borders of love and forgiveness among men and women of this world.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ,
