Where is jesus?

Oof... I don't know about you, but life has been... weird lately. Pandemics, politics, and plenty more. I have to admit, my faith has not been stellar. I've had a lot - A LOT - of questions tumbling 'round in my brain.

For some odd reason I keep coming back to this simple story from my morning devotions early this week. It's the account of the boy Jesus as told in Luke 2:41-52. His parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve, they went as usual, and when the festival was over they started the journey back. They were "a day's journey" before they started looking for him and discovered he was missing. So they headed back to Jerusalem. It was THE THIRD DAY when they found the boy sitting among the teachers. Everyone was amazed at his understanding. Except, apparently, his parents.

The text of verse 48 says, "When they saw him they were quite overwhelmed. 'Child,' said his mother, 'why did you do this to us? Look - your father and I have been in a terrible state looking for you!'"

Haha... did you catch that? They left their son in Jerusalem, and then Mary has the audacity to scold Jesus for what he did to THEM! :) There has to be a little humor here, right?

Anyway, I am not attempting to explain the text or anything. I mean, we all want to blame someone when something goes wrong - and it's usually someone else! Plus, haven't we all been told over and over and over again that Jesus is always with us?

I am reading through Luke using N.T. Wright's paraphrase and wonderful commentary in 'Luke for Everyone.' There were two simple phrases of his that stood out to me about this passage:

"Discipleship always involves the unexpected."

"We mustn't assume he (Jesus) is accompanying us as we go off on our own business."

Jesus rarely did what people expected him to do. Every time we relax and think we've got things all figured out (especially Jesus)... look out!

And, if Mary and Joseph could get so preoccupied as to leave Jesus behind... don't you suppose the same could be said of the rest of us? Are we really followers of Jesus, or wouldn't we much rather find comfort in the idea that he will surely be with us?

I don't know. I'm just thinking about these things. I can't say that I feel his presence much. Maybe it's because I'm in for a wonderful surprise... Or maybe it's because I stopped following him and just assumed he was still around.

***

Luke 2:41-52
"Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.
 
When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he meant.

Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people."