About His Father's Business

We had our devotional right after school on Friday as we were both going different directions for the rest of the evening. We had spent the ride home talking about school and 12 yr. old responsibilities. This devotional was very timely.

Not much is said about Christ childhood. I would love to sit down with Mary one day and have her share some memories. What is said is telling. This afternoon we read Luke 2: 40 -52

40 And the child grew, and ^awaxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the ^bgrace of God was upon him.

41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the ^afeast of the passover.

42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the ^atemple, sitting in the midst of the ^bdoctors, ^cboth hearing them, and ^dasking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his ^aunderstanding and answers.

48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? ^awist ye not that I must be about my ^bFather’s business?

50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was ^asubje

ct unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her ^bheart.

52 And Jesus ^aincreased in ^bwisdom and stature, and in ^cfavour with God and man.

We talked about what kind of student Christ might have been. And this year, the part that really struck me was "sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions." We spent a few moments reflecting on what it means to hear someone, especially in a learning environment. We brainstormed a list of things he may have questioned them. It is interesting to me to remember that Christ learned, that he wasn't born all knowing.

We renewed our determination to improve our studies of the scriptures and came up with some ideas of how to make them higher on the priority list, especially this busy season. One of the skills that I spend a good part of the year teaching 3rd graders is how to use resource materials - what books to use & how to find the answers. I want Ryan to know how to find answers in the most important resource he will ever have. We are going to start scripture chasing - sometimes looking up scriptures or stories, but other times finding the index, the gazetteer, the pronunciation guide, footnotes, JS Matthew& history, the Chronology, etc. The scriptures have all the answers but often we do not know how to find them.

We ended with singing (well, to keep it real, Ryan listened and I sang along) with "As I Search the Holy Scriptures."

(images came from www.lds.org Gospel Library, Image Libraries, Gospel Source Book)