Retracing Steps.....

This past week I was reading through Luke and read the story of when Jesus was 12 again. This was a story I had read multiple times over the years, but this time it had a whole new meaning.  The passage I'm referring to is Luke 2:41-52. Allow me to share a few of the truths and/or nuggets He shared with me.

 Verse 43: After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it

How many times do we start back home or to the land of comfort only not realizing we have left Jesus behind? Think about every mountain top "experience" you have had over your journey with Him(or at least the last couple). As you headed back home from the mountain top experience, did you take Him with you? or were you so caught up in the routine of heading back home that you didn't realize it. How many times have you started on a journey only not to be unaware that you left Him behind? 

44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

Let me park on that first sentence for a second. Oh my how this stepped on my toes and painted such a picture of what I'm sure most of us have done more than once. How many times have we started on our journey, thinking we were walking with Him? How many times have we gotten ahead of Him only to realize, wait a minute, where did He go? I think we all have had times on this journey where we have gotten ahead of Him only to stop and realize oops. How many times have we gone longer than a day before we realized the One we thought we were walking with, is really behind us? 

You know how the story ends. They find Him sitting among the teachers right where they left Him. He lovingly told His parents, why did you search for me, didn't you know I would be about my Father's business? 

How many times do we head out on our journey only to realize we got ahead of Him? How many moments and missteps does it take before we realize we aren't walking with Him but ahead of Him? We frantically and anxiously go on a search, but guess what? He never moved, we did.  He has always been right where He said He would be.