On the Edge of His Seat

“And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.  And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and His mother knew nothing of it.”  Luke 2:42-43

Being observant and faithful Jews, Mary and Joseph took Jesus and went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover every year.  This particular year Jesus was twelve years old.  After the feast, they began their journey home to Nazareth.  Apparently they traveled with others from Nazareth for the company and for safety.  They assumed Jesus was somewhere among the others in the entourage.  They traveled a whole day before they began to search for Him.  Most of us would think it highly unusual to not miss Him for hours, but He was an obedient, trustworthy Son, and they must have assumed He was with His friends tagging along behind.  I guess they didn’t have to worry so much about kidnappers, pedophiles, and other unscrupulous people like we do today.  When my daughter was three, she got separated from us at a town square festival.  We found her in a matter of seconds, but it was a few moments of sheer panic on our part.

Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem in search of Jesus.  They found Him in the temple listening and asking questions of the teachers of the law that were far beyond the mind of an ordinary twelve year old.  Mary rebuked Jesus for staying behind.  She and Joseph were upset, understandably.  Jesus asked them why they were looking for Him; didn’t they know He had to be about His Father’s business?  They didn’t know how to respond to Him because they didn’t understand His mission.  After all, He was only twelve years old, still a child.

I heard a preacher on the radio say one time that one of the main things that Jesus did while on earth was to wait.  At twelve He was ready to set out in His ministry and His mission, but it was not yet God’s timing.  Jesus returned to Nazareth with Joseph and Mary and had to wait 18 more years before He was introduced as the Son of God to an unsuspecting world.  It has been nearly 2,000 years since Jesus returned to His Father and has been waiting all this time to return to judge the world, banish evil, and rule in righteousness.  I can picture Him in my mind’s eye as sitting on the edge of His throne just waiting for His Father to give Him the signal for His return.  The way the world is going, He may not have to wait much longer to again enter an unsuspecting world.  I have noticed that there seems to be more emphasis of Christian radio ministers about the end times and the return of Christ than in times past.  As God has always done before a major event, He sends a warning to be prepared.  It could be a very long time before He returns, but I wouldn’t count on it.