And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people. [Luke 2:52 The Message]
Here we are in the first Monday of 2011. I watched Hannah as she walked up the sidewalk after dropping her off at school this morning thinking about how tall she has gotten! Our twins that I used to write about will turn 21 this year! I am getting older but you will have to ask my wife if I am maturing!
Christmas is all about the baby Jesus. Dr. Luke not only tells us of His birth but he also reminds us that just like the rest of us; He grew up. Luke first takes us to the stable and we see Jesus in a manger. He then jumps ahead eight days and allows us to listen in as Simeon and Anna the prophetess confirm who He is. St. Matthew tells us the Magi came to worship Him after that, probably within the first 18 months. The family then went to Egypt on the command of an angel and may have been there for about a year or so. Then St. Luke warp drives us about 10 years into the future and we are in the Temple listening to the twelve year old Jesus as He confounds the professors and the PhD’s asking them questions and blowing them away by what He knows! Luke gives us only one sentence to fill in the past ten years of His life; “The Child grew, became strong in spirit, was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him!” It would be over twenty five years before we see Him again at the Jordan River coming out of the crowd to be baptized!
Our verse today tells us that during that time He grew up and matured! Let 2011 be the year we mature and grow up too; in Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment