Searching for Jesus?

I know where He is
Luke 2:43-50 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 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." 49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." 50 But they didn't understand what he meant. NLT This is an amazing piece of history. Joseph, Mary and their family journeyed to Jerusalem from Nazareth to celebrate the Passover Feast. They were doing the will of LORD, in the timing of the LORD, in the proper place of the LORD. They were doing everything right before the LORD. Yet, when the festivities were finished they gravitated back to a business as usual attitude, packed up their belongings and started their journey home. They had business to take care of, jobs to do and in general they were going back to their normal day to day activities. How often do we have the exact same attitudes? Something was about to change their business as usual mindset. Jesus was no longer with them. They thought he was with them, he had never been away from them before and therefore they had no reason to believe that he was not with them at this time. He had always been in step with their decisions and their plans, but not now. He had never done anything like this before. The scripture is very clear : they assumed that he was with the group of family and friends. They assumed that he was where he always had been before with them. What they did not know was that he was back in Jerusalem, in His Fathers House. I have heard many sermons on this event; I have preached and taught on this portion of scripture quite a few times myself. The Holy Spirit is emphasizing something very clear to my heart these days. They assumed Jesus was with them when he actually was not with them. He had other business, his Fathers family business, to attend to. Joseph and Mary lost Jesus by assuming that he was with them. I know that the Lord speaks to each believer and declares, I will never leave you or forsake you. It is true. The problem was not that Jesus left them. The problem was that they left him! Jesus lingered in His Fathers House and He was not quick to leave. He possessed more of a desire to enter and remain in his Fathers House than to take up the business as usual tendency of humanity. I think it is the as usual part that is desperately wrong.

Joseph and Mary left Jesus in Jerusalem. They left the Fathers House to return to their human business and lost track of the presence of The Son. Jesus had Kingdom business to do and it was not rebellion on his part; it was insensitivity and assumption on the part of Joseph and Mary. Please do not be critical of Joseph and Mary. Stop and think, how often do we leave him, assuming that he is with us in our plans and pursuits? How often are our plans and pursuits in opposition to His Kingdom and His Will? We pray, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done but do we really expect Him to answer that prayer? When He does come to do His will in our lives, how frequently do we gravitate back to a business as usual mindset? To find Jesus it took Joseph and Mary three days of seeking for what they lost in a moment. They were concerned with things below while He had set his affection on things above! When they found Jesus in the Temple and asked why he had lingered behind, his answer was most revealing. Luke 2:49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." What wonderful revelation! If you are seeking Jesus, just go to the Fathers House, He is there! How many days, weeks, months or years has it been since you knew Jesus was with you? When is the last time that you enjoyed His Presence in your life? I did not say when you enjoyed His Presence in a celebration service no, when was the last time that He was WITH YOU? Ponder these things in your heart and learn the secret of walking with Him, rather than assuming that He is walking with you! Learn the art of submitting to the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit and do not take one step, much less an entire day of steps, without Him! We were created for His pleasure not for our own pleasure. If you find yourself out of step with Jesus while you are doing the will of God just understand that you have stepped into presumption turn around, REPENT, seek Him once again. He is worth every heart wrenching moment of seeking, He is worth it all when you find Him! Oh yes, one more thing, if you really want to find Him, I can tell you exactly where He is He is in The Fathers House doing the Fathers Will as a True Son must. Jesus replied but why did you need to search? You should have known that I would be in my Fathers house!