Man In The Middle

After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Luke 2:46, HCSB

IN LUKE 2:41-52, we find Jesus “in the middle.” No longer the baby of Bethlehem, not yet the Christ at Calvary. Like all twelve-year-olds, He was no longer a small child, but not yet a fully grown adult. When Mary and Joseph finally found Him after He went missing from their homeward bound caravan, they discovered Him in the middle of a group of teachers, listening and learning.

When the family returned to Nazareth, Jesus continued to be obedient to His parents, and He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people” (Luke 2:52, HCSB). This gives us a clue as to how we should live when we are “in the middle,” when we’re going through a time of preparation.

Jesus grew in wisdom, which surely involved making God’s Word the center of His heart and thinking. He also grew in stature before the time was right for His preaching ministry to begin. When His ministry began, He was ready. He had matured.

At times, Jesus seemed to grow in favor with man. (It’s hard not to when you feed thousands at a time and heal diseases.) But more importantly, Jesus grew in favor with God by obeying His heavenly Father all the way to the cross. It was a costly obedience that He undertook willingly “for the joy that lay before Him” (Hebrews 12:2, HCSB). Perhaps you find yourself in the middle right now—in a time of preparation and waiting. If so, keep trusting God, and keep obeying.

BOTTOM LINE

When you find yourself “in the middle,” Jesus is there with you. Enjoy the journey of knowing God and resting in His timing.

Moment of Strength: Luke 2:41-52