Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: TRIP (08/25/22)
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TITLE: Losing Jesus | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laurie Kiel
09/01/22 -
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Have you ever lost something important: your keys, your phone, your patience, or in a heart stopping moment your child in a shopping mall?
I thought about a woman who realized she had lost the most important person of all time, a 12-year-old boy that the God of the Universe had entrusted her to give birth to and raise. I wonder what it would have been like to be Mary when she and Joseph realized they had left Jesus back in Jerusalem.
PUTS ON HEADDRESS
Joseph, it's been a day since we left Jerusalem and I want to check on Jesus. I know he's safe with the family and friends we're travelling with but I miss him...
(LOOKS AROUND). What do you mean you haven't seen him!
Joseph and I quickly talk to everyone in our caravan and realize the worst, Jesus isn't with us. We've left him back in Jerusalem.
As we walk back to Jerusalem, my mind is replaying another trip over 12 years ago. Then I carried Jesus in my womb, now I'm carrying him in my heart. As we worry about losing Jesus I remember how 13 years ago I worried about losing other things.
Lost. When the Angel first appeared, I wondered if I had lost my mind. An angel appearing to me? And then I wondered if I would lose my reputation. My name would be in the lips of every gossip in town.
But I didn’t care for my name had been on the lips of God‘s messenger, Gabriel. When he said, "Hail Mary you are highly favored" I almost turned around to see if he was talking to someone else.
And then came the most painful potential loss. Would I lose Joseph: my love, my life? I heard that he was considering quietly putting me away. But then Jehovah gave me back my Joseph! I was ecstatic when Joseph told me of his dream where Jehovah told him to marry me.
But HOW could we have lost Jesus? Had we lost Jehovah’s trust? Would He regret choosing me? Had I disappointed Him?
I clapped my hand over my mouth when I realized I had been thinking out loud.
Joseph looked at me with such love and said, "Mary, you could never disappoint Jehovah. For you to disappoint Jehovah you would’ve had to surprise Him.
Jehovah knew this would happen. He knew we would sometimes fail and He chose you anyway to bear His Son. For man judges the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. And there’s no one with a more beautiful heart than you, Mary." My cheeks flame at the compliment.
But it did help pass the time for we soon arrived in Jerusalem and began what seemed a hopeless search. So many people, so many places to look.
And then after three agonizing days, my anxiety growing hour by hour, I heard the most beautiful voice in the world. Jesus! He sounded so authoritative. We followed the sound of his voice and found him discussing theology with the temple teachers. My worry sharpened my voice like a whetstone.
"Son, how could you have done this to us? Your father and I have searched everywhere for you. We've been sick with worry." Jesus looks at me with eyes wise beyond his years and says, "Why were you looking for me. Didn't you know I had to be about my father's business?"
I sneak a look at Joseph's face to see if Jesus' comments have hurt him. Instead, it's as if a huge weight had rolled off Joseph's shoulders. He grabs my hand and gives a reassuring squeeze. Joseph ISN'T Jesus' father. Joseph cannot keep Jesus safe, but his heavenly Father will as Jesus goes about His Father's business.
WOMAN REMOVES HEADDRESS
Jesus had to be about his Father‘s business. And as adopted heirs of Jesus who calls us to call God Abba daddy we too need to be about our Father’s business.
We may lose our keys, our wallets, and even our patience but we must never lose that focus. And if we keep that focus, we will never need to worry about losing Jesus.
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