Mary, Joseph and Jesus went with a caravan of other people to Jerusalem for the annual Passover festival. 

On the way back, Mary and Joseph discovered that Jesus wasn’t with them. They broke from the group and headed back to Jerusalem to find him.

“After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers” (Luke 2:46-47).

This is how Jesus explained his actions to his anxious parents: “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (verse 49). His words could also be translated like this: “Didn’t you know I had to be about my Father’s business?”

The 12-year old Jesus is already totally devoted to his heavenly Father.

I wonder if we can make Jesus’ words our words as we set our priorities for the coming year. “I had to be about my Father’s business.”

If we are God’s people, doesn’t it make sense that our lives should reflect God’s priorities?

Love. Truth. Holiness. Compassion…

Let’s be about our Father’s business. That way, no matter what 2021 throws at us, instead of being thrown off course, we will be found faithful.

God’s people pursue God’s priorities.

By Matthew Ruttan

–From January to April 2021 I’ll be taking Westminster Church through Luke’s Gospel. Click here for a 3-minute video I created to highlight the background to (and significance of) the Gospel.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.