Amber Alert: Jesus is Missing!

The Gospel of Luke Devotional

• Day 2 Luke Chapter 2
• Bible Reading– Luke 2:1-52
• Focus Scripture: Luke 2:48-50: When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you. And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them.

“I’m looking for Jesus…have you seen Him!!?!” I can imagine the panic that swept over Mary when she realized that Jesus was not with the caravan. She and Joseph frantically running from relative to relative, person to person, asking and searching for Him. Anxious worry rising up over the entire campsite. Where could Jesus be!? After searching long and hard they began to retrace their steps journeying back to Jerusalem. I’m sure close relatives went along combing through the well-traveled route calling out, “Jesus! Jesus! Where are you?“ What if He had been hurt and couldn’t cry out because of an injury or worse someone had taken Him? All of those fears, along with guilt and shame for “losing” their twelve-year-old son likely swept through Mary’s mind as she considered the worst possible outcomes. I envision the other mothers trying to calm Mary telling her, Jesus: was a special child; old enough to fend for Himself, and at any moment they would see Him walking towards them. Finally, they reached the very grounds they departed from three days ago. (Luke 2:46) Exhausted from searching and frazzled from lack of sleep, Mary’s eyes fell upon Jesus. There He sat questioning and listening in the Temple. Perfectly fine, fulfilling His purpose…(Luke 2:49)

The major school field trips I’ve had the pleasure to chaperone used the “buddy system”. This was one of the best accountability methods, especially when traveling in a large city. Pairs of students were responsible for each other’s whereabouts. But what if your “buddy” is God the Father? What Jesus had done was show Himself as part of the Holy Triune God. He was found teaching and listening (Luke 2:47); in fellowship with other believers. If we look at this from a different perspective had Mary and Joseph left God?… They had celebrated the Feast of the Passover as a ritual for the week and were going back to their regular schedules. They did not understand why Jesus had stayed or why He answered them the way He had. But Mary pondered it, just as she had when the angel Gabriel called her favored one. (Luke 1:28)

We often leave God when we dismiss Him because we think we’ve given enough tithe, time, and praise at church or during midweek Bible Study. We go about our daily activities until something happens to jar our memories. If we leave Jesus we can simply and sincerely call on His name. His Holy Spirit is our guide and will give us the peace and clarity we need when we acknowledge we’ve tried to move ahead without Him. If you’ve searched and felt like something is absent ask yourself, “is Jesus missing from my life?”

~Torrie

Discusion Questions:

1. When was the last time you misplaced something only to find it exactly where you left it?
2. What are you waiting and praying for?
3.  How did Jesus reveal Himself to you in this chapter?

A Few Points:

1. Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to be included in the census. Luke 2:1-5
2. Mary gives birth to Jesus. Luke 2:6-7
3. The shepherds are told by the Angel of God that the Savior had been born. The shepherds visit Christ praising and glorifying God. Luke 2:8-20
4. Mary and Joseph have Jesus dedicated at the Temple by Simeon. Simeon also blesses them. Luke 2:21-33
5. Anna the prophetess spreads the news of the Messiah. Luke 2:36-38
6. Jesus astounded the religious teachers with His depth of wisdom. Luke 2:46-47
7. Mary and Joseph are dismayed by “losing” Jesus and search for Him. Luke 2:48-50

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