Good day dear friends.
We continue to study immaturity in the church and the impact it can have. Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Please find the passage in Luke 2:41-52, read there about a young boy who showed great spiritual maturity. What do you suppose made the young boy so mature? Can we compare ourselves to that young boy? Why or why not?
Here is the Luke 2:41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." 49 He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.
It was the duty of those who could afford to take their male children to the Temple on their 12th birthday. Jesus was no exception. Given the certain special and unique instruction His mother had given Him, Jesus knew His relationship to God to be very special. Considered to be an adult because of this birthday, He was taken to the Temple to participate in worship and all that was involved at that point of his life. But Jesus used this occasion to learn more about God, asking all He could think of to find out more about God from the teachers who were trained to instruct. Jesus demonstrated great spiritual maturity for his age.
Can we compare ourselves to Jesus? Of course. That is our calling. Ours should be a willingness and desire to learn all we can about our Heavenly Father as well. Ours should be the desire to grow spiritually each day, realizing that sanctifying grace is that journey of growth that God grants us precisely for that purpose. Use this day to prayerfully ask the Lord to help you grow in your devotion to Him.
PRAYER: Loving God of all grace, we thank You for the spiritual journey that is sanctifying grace. Help me to grow like never before in the image and likeness of Jesus. Help me to learn more about You and Your love for me. Grant me maturity to help others around me. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
