How Is It That You Sought Me?

"And he said to them, How is it that ye sought Me? knew ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?" (Luke 2:49)

Joseph and Jesus' mother had gone up to Jerusalem to the feast of the Passover and taken Jesus, who was then 12 years old, with them. After the feast days, they headed back toward their hometown of Nazareth with all of their other relatives. After traveling a day's journey, they realized that Jesus was not with the group, as they had supposed. They hurried back to Jerusalem to search for Him, and after three days they found Him in the temple listening to the doctors of the law, and asking them questions. Mary, of course, began to scold Him, but Jesus reply was very simple and innocent, "How is it that ye sought Me? knew ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?"

First of all, Jesus words reveal that He was amazed that they were seeking Him at all. You see, He hadn't left them - they had left Him. Jesus was right where He should be, and always is: about His Father's business. He felt that His parents should have known this all along. At twelve years of age, Jesus was already occupied with His Father's business. It was more a case of His parents being lost than that He was.

We, too, often lose sight of the Son of God. We go on our way expecting, even praying, that the Lord will be with us, whatever our endeavors; and never consult Him about what we should be doing. It's like we want God to follow us and bless what we do, but are not willing to follow Him. Is it any wonder then, that we find that He is no longer close. He has not left us, but we have left Him. And where will we find Him? About His Father's business - always about His Father's business. Beloved, we will never learn to walk with Him and enjoy His constant and intimate presence in our lives until we, too, are consumed with the Father's business. Our business gets in the way, I'm afraid. Our business consumes our time and our energy with very little left over for the Father's business.

When Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee and called out to the men who would become His disciples, He said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." These men who were so occupied with their present lives, yet yearned for something that would satisfy the hunger that was in their souls, simply dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus. The fishermen left their boats, nets, and their father; and followed the Lord. The tax collector left his money table, and his clients, and followed the Lord. We, however, often ignore where the Lord would like to lead us, and instead expect Him to stay and bless our agenda. Oh, my friends, we have gotten things so backwards! Is it any wonder that the church today lacks the power and anointing that the first century church had? We like to lie to ourselves by saying that the age of miracles was only for a time to establish the young church, but it is only an excuse to justify our lack of commitment today. It's much like the older couple that were riding in their car one day and saw a young couple that were sitting close together in their car with the boy's arm around his girlfriend. The older wife turned to her husband, who was driving, and said, "You must not love me anymore. We used to be like those two lovebirds - you couldn't get close enough - now we sit on opposite sides of the car." The older man jsut looked at his wife and said, "I never moved."

Though the Bible admonishes us to seek the Lord, it is only when we have left Him that this is really necessary. If we are walking with Him day by day, desiring to be in the center of His will, and being about our Father's business, we will find that He is always with us, even to the end of the world. It is way too easy to allow things to rule our lives. Things can become very cruel taskmasters if we let them. We need to learn to follow where He leads us, and not let things get in the way. Let us learn to be unencumbered with the things of this world, and, instead, learn to take His yoke upon us. We will find that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light, and we will find rest for our soul. "How is it that ye sought Me? knew ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?"

"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)