Anglican Devotional 19 March 2024 – Lead Your Children To Do Their Father’s Business

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 18 March 2024 – Lead Your Children To Do Their Father’s Business

TOPIC: Lead Your Children To Do Their Father’s Business

READ: Luke 2:41-52 (NKJV)

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know [it;]
but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among [their] relatives and acquaintances.
So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.
Now so it was [that] after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

THE MESSAGE:

At the tender age of twelve, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover, after their custom. Despite knowing the divine nature of Jesus, His parents did not leave Him behind in His divine duty to God. Joseph and Mary jointly provided spiritual leadership for Jesus so He could discover the purpose of God for His life. It was at Jerusalem that Jesus located God’s plan and sat down in the temple to teach and discuss with scholars in the temple, and also answering their questions.

As we celebrate Joseph of Nazareth today, parents must rise to their duty of providing spiritual leadership in bringing their children to the Lord. Today, most parents do not care about their children attending Church or not. Jesus showed to us His readiness to throw Himself into His Father’s business because of the kind of parental care He had. He was ready to stay away from food and the affection of His earthly parents just to be about His Father’s business. How do we care for our Children in our generation? Do we lead them to the Lord or do we leave them to do what they want? Jesus, at the age of twelve, already knew the purpose of God in His life to do the will of His Father. Let us follow the example of the Jesus family and lead our children to the Lord.