Devotional Life Father’s Business

 

Devotional Life

Father’s Business

 

When we receive Jesus into our lives our relationship is very personal with Him

But as we grow in Christ life changes from taking Jesus where ever we go

To Jesus taking us outside our circle

Why? Because He must be about the Father’s business

Luke 2:50 says  

“But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.”

Your devotional life starts with you and Jesus

If you were to keep a journal it would be all about your times together

And the joy He brings to you

But as you grow in your devotional time, you will find it’s not just about you

It will be about others

Jesus’ circle is bigger than you are

This may bring anxiety as He leads you to go

Beyond your circle of family and friends

To be about the Father’s business reaching the world

Allow Jesus to expand your devotional life to

Thoughts, prayer and deeds to reach beyond your circle  

 

 

Father’s Business

 

The Gospels tell us a story

of Jesus when he was a boy.

 

Every year Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph,

 along with other family and friends went

to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover.

 

Jesus was 12 years old and old

 enough to be trusted with responsibility.

 

Mary and Joseph thinking Jesus was with family

weren’t concerned until some time had passed.

 

Finding Jesus was not with his cousins or

other relatives, they back tracked to find Him.

 

Now think of yourself as family of Jesus.

 

Jesus was with you every day around

the house or on the family trips.

 

You can’t image your life

without Jesus being around.

 

His picture is hanging on the wall.

 

Life with Jesus is all about you and family.

 

You expect Him to be within

the distance of your voice.

 

Then one day His is not there.

 

He does not show up when you call.

 

Listen to Mary’s words when she

finds Jesus was not with the family…

  

"Son, why have You done this to us?

Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

 

Mary takes the ownership and

control of Jesus personally.

 

Mom and Dad “anxiously” sought for Jesus.

 

Where is our Son, He should

have been home by now?

 

For many of us…

 

 This is the way we know Jesus.

 

We keep our religion to ourselves.

 

Our world is not much larger

than our family and close friends.

 

And this is where we expect Jesus to be.

 

Jesus asked a very important

question of his loving Mom and Dad..

 

"Why did you seek Me?”

 

As a young parent, I was my children’s

world and they were mine.

 

We, as parents, threaten our

children to never grow up.

 

The joy of holding your child and always

having their attention when you want…

 

Controlling the family environment.

 

All that changes as children grow up.

 

So Jesus says…

      

"Why did you seek Me?”

 

Are you trying to keep me to yourself?

 

We think of training up a child,

but parents also need to be trained

in releasing their children.

 

 I remember the changes when people would say…

 

“Oh, you are Marty’s Dad”

 

Up until that time, I was first.

 

People knew Marty because of me.

 

Jesus, like our children, move

out beyond the family circle…

 

And that is a stretch for us.

 

Jesus’ second thing He tells His parents is…

  

“Did you not know that I must

be about My Father's business?"

 

The word “business” is not in the original language,

but I think a good choice of the translators

to help us understand what Jesus was saying.

 

When we receive Jesus into our lives,

our relationship is very personal with Him.

 

But as we grow in Christ, life changes

from taking Jesus where ever we go…

 

To Jesus taking us outside our circle.

 

Why? Because He must be about

the Father’s business.

 

Luke 2:50 says…

  

“But they did not understand the

statement which He spoke to them.”

 

Your devotional life starts with you and Jesus.

 

If you were to keep a journal…

 

 It would be all about your times

together and the joy He brings to you.

 

But as you grow in your devotional time…

 

 You will find it’s not just about you.

 

It will be about others.

Jesus’ circle is bigger than you are.

 

This may bring anxiety as He

leads you to go beyond your

circle of family and friends…

 

To be about the Father’s

business reaching the world.

 

Allow Jesus to expand your devotional

life to thoughts, prayer and deeds to

reach beyond your circle.

   

 

Scripture Reading

 

Luke 2:47-50 NKJV

 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

 

49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"  50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

 

 

John 15:13-17 NIV

13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business . Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

 

 

Ecclesiastes 4:8 NIV

8 There was a man all alone;

he had neither son nor brother.

There was no end to his toil,

yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.

"For whom am I toiling," he asked,

"and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"

This too is meaningless —

a miserable business!