It so happens that upon the week entering into the twelfth anniversary marking my middle child's birth, we read the story of the boy Jesus at the temple. He, too, was twelve.
Luke the doctor shares this story, the only picture we get of Jesus as a youngster. What I find incredibly interesting is that Luke shares two stories in a row of the young Jesus at the temple. The first is when his parents take him to the temple to consecrate him to the Lord as a young baby.
Both Simeon, a devout and righteous man who was waiting for the revelation of the Messiah as God had promised him, and Anna, a prophetess, widow, and constant worshiper of God both day and night, fasting and praying, recognized Jesus the infant as the long awaited Messiah. Luke finishes that narrative with the summary statement:
"And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him." Luke 2:40
The next story of Luke's is the story of when Jesus is twelve and he goes to the feast in Jerusalem with his parents but doesn't go home when they do. His parents have lost him for three days but Jesus is not lost. He is in his Father's house and again we see temple leaders in awe of him..."amazed at his understanding and his answers."
This temple narrative also ends with a summary statement from Luke:
"And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."
These are words I pray for my children. Until this week, though, I have not connected them with Jesus' visits to the temple. His obedience, seeking after God, considering God's ways, and being with God's people are all pictured here.
Being in God's presence and where God is worshiped are essential for a holy life.
These, also, are ways I desire to model Christian living for my twelve year old boy as well as I pray into his life.
Being in God's presence and where God is worshiped are essential for a holy life.
These, also, are ways I desire to model Christian living for my twelve year old boy as well as I pray into his life.
Here, also, is a bit of fun from my father, composed for Dawson for his twelfth birthday. Enjoy!
Meriweather Lewis had a buddy;
Name of Clark.
They fished for bass and bluegill
Till the daylight turned to dark.
They'd hike home in the blackness
Or beneath the moon's great glare,
And talk of big adventures
That they would one day share.
They wandered home with rods in hand
And visions of the west,
Of grasslands of the endless plains
And beasts with shaggy chests.
Then Clark and Lewis left their homes
As young men often do,
They learned the art of survey
And of military school.
History books can tell you
How this nation came to be,
The folks got tired of being ruled
And wanted to be free.
So some picked up the mighty pen,
And some their trusty gun,
With dauntless heart and providence
They soon their freedom won.
The great white chief acquired some land
From France: it made the news.
It seems negotiations brought a deal
To not refuse.
The nation now extended from the Rockies
With its snows
And measured down from Canada
To quaint old Mexico.
Now someone had to go and map
The features of the land;
Someone who was bold and owned
A sure and steady hand.
The great white chief found Clark and Lewis
More than qualified,
To lead an expedition
Past the continents' divide.
And came to understand,
This land of great magnificence,
Its many nature bands.
They charted river, lakes and plains
Until they came one day
To the vast Pacific Ocean
Where the whales and otters play.
The homeward trek brought many more
Adventures for their trip,
But one thing undiscovered
Bothered William Clark a bit.
In all the things they'd partnered through
Rapids, rides and weather,
He wondered still how Lewis came
To be named Meriwether.
Jim Petersen
