Daily Devotion, August 6, 2020

Devotion: Read Luke 2:41-51.

Every year the Feast of the Passover took place in Jerusalem. The Passover was a special time of worship and celebration of God freeing the Israelites from Egyptian slavery during the days of Moses. In this passage, we find Jesus, who was twelve, walking to Jerusalem from Nazareth with his family and a crowd of people. After the Passover, returning home, Mary and Joseph assumed that Jesus was with the group. After a day’s travel, they realized that he was not with them and returned to Jerusalem to search for him. They found him in the temple among a group of Jewish teachers. Even though he was only 12 years old, Jesus amazed the teachers with his understanding of Scriptures. As Mary witnessed this, she was amazed too. But she and Joseph also asked him why he had stayed behind in Jerusalem. Jesus responded, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” That was Jesus’ way of saying that learning about God was of great importance to him. Even though Jesus was still young, it was noted that he knew the scriptures well. Mary pondered all of these things in her heart. As the mother of the Savior, I think she was still wondering how it was all going to play out.

If you go ahead and read verse 52 it tells us that even though he had great understanding at a young age, he continued to grow in wisdom and stature. Finally, Jesus “grew in favor with God and man.” That tells us that Jesus grew in his relationship with his Father and his relationships with all people, including his mother. Personal Worship Option:

How can we grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God? Dear God help us grow in your word and grow in our relationships with you and humankind.