SCRIP-BITS

Luke 2:49.    And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
 
Oh Friends in Christ, another day in the life has been generously granted to us, let’s take it and run with it in an acceptable direction nuh. A direction that will both please and glorify our heavenly Father. As Jesus so aptly put it; let’s be about our Father’s business. But first, check out the scene in our Bit, and contemplate it in terms of your own upbringing. You and your parents go on a trip with other families, to commemorate an important occasion, but when it’s over and everybody’s headed home, your parents can’t find you amongst the company. Three days later, they find you in the church in erudite conversation with the elders. And when your mother says to you: ‘Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us (done this to us)? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing (anxiously). (Luke 2:48) Now remember Jesus is only twelve eh. You think you could reply: ‘How is it that ye sought me? wist (knew) ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?’ Hn! Some of us wouldn’t even have been asked any questions, just grabbed by the ear or scruff of our collar and dragged away. And even if we were asked, yuh think we’d ever dare give Jesus’ reply? No way Jose! We’d certainly get our block knocked off, for it would be considered a rude reply to our parents’ generation, and dealt with as such. And though poor Mary and Joseph didn’t quite understand Jesus’ reply, they knew that He was special and it doesn’t seem as if they made a big fuss over the incident, and Jesus obediently went back down to Nazareth with them. The Good Book though says: ‘but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.’ (Luke 2:51) Ah mih people, Jesus was certainly something else. But a wonderful something else! And I like how from an early age, He knew His calling; to be about His Father’s business. Friends, do we know our calling? I surely hope so. And if we don’t, then we’d better find it out soon, cause we can’t afford to waste too much of our lives in aimless wandering. Another great thing about Jesus is that He doesn’t shun the work He’s been called to do, and sets us a beautiful example of doing what we must, even if it goes against the very grain of our human nature. And He’s also quite focused on His earthly duties. Listen to His words when He heals a blind man on the Sabbath Day. ‘I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ (John 9:4-5)Yes Friends, that’s the way we should also operate; doing whatever the Lord has called us to do, despite the problems and ‘sufferation’ it might cause us. Now that’s often easier said than done, but we can make it a tad easier if we take the spiritual and eternal view of the situation, keep that as our focus, instead of the earthly ramifications. As I recently said, living for Jesus is not easy, but all He asks is that we sincerely try. Remember He experienced the same earthly problems as us, and more too, so He clearly understands and appreciates our situation, and will most certainly grant us spiritual help if we take the bull by the horns and persist in our endeavours in His Name. Now when Jesus talks of being about His Father’s business, what does He mean? We get a glimpse of it during that same Passover trip to Jerusalem when His parents found Him in the temple with the elders, both listening to them and asking questions. ‘And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.’ Imagine a twelve year old country boy reasoning with the learned elders nuh! So at 12, Jesus was already primed with His Father’s Spirit, though we’d call Him gifted or precocious. Then later on, when He actually began His earthly ministry, the Good Book describes it thus: ‘And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine (teaching): for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.’ (Mark 1:21-22) Yes mih people, there was authority, godly authority in Jesus’ teaching, not the wishy-washy acts of the hypocrite scribes and them. Even the poor and uneducated could identify a major difference in His teaching. And though we all can’t preach with the power and authority of Jesus, we all ought to try and bring, or show a difference in our witness, one that will let others know we’re not the usual run of the mill, worldly influenced person, but a serious and sincere follower of Jesus Christ. We don’t have to be different like night and day, even a subtle, positive difference will suffice. Oh Friends, that’s enough for us to think on and contemplate for today. Tomorrow, our God in favour, we’ll continue in this same vein, for there are some beautiful scriptures I want to share with you. Till then, LOVE your God, LIVE your Faith, and SPREAD His Word! Much LOVE!…our purpose on earth…to be about Jesus’ business…