GROWING IN WISDOM AND STATURE

 JANUARY 11, 2023

LUKE 2:40b - 52

... the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.


The above Gospel story is one that generally we skip over. Typically, we read the birth story and jump ahead to Jesus Baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordon and then the Wilderness Temptations, and then on to the “good stuff” of teaching and miracles. At least that’s what I often do. Today’s reading has a great deal for us though if we take the time to listen and reflect for a few moments.

We forget sometimes that Jesus whose birth we celebrated at Christmas spent many years growing up in a Jewish family, growing wiser and stronger, learning a trade, waiting for his moment according to God’s plan. Waiting for the pieces of the bigger picture to fall into place, when he would enter the waters of the Jordan, the Holy Spirit descend on him and that voice would come from heaven proclaiming, "You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight."

Take notice of the importance of the family in this account today. For a large part of his life Jesus was part of a family. I suppose we might imagine that this must have been an extremely happy family that the Son of God belonged to. Yet, I imagine like every other family, this family had its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows, its problems, and difficulties. Certainly, the beginning of family life was not easy, a manger birth, a refugee life in Egypt, a return from exile.

We notice that Mary and Joseph, as faithful Jews, make sure to fulfill their duties as parents toward their son Jesus. When Jesus was eight days old, Mary and Joseph went to the temple to name and to circumcise him. They also offered the Lord the appropriate offering. We read above that it was the family’s annual practice to attend Passover in Jerusalem.

Luke is reminding us, I believe, that Jesus experience is a lot like ours, having the benefits and blessings of Family life. I know, he was a special child, debating the religious teachers at 12 is not something I was doing at that age. Yet still the family served a formative role in Jesus’ life as he “grew in wisdom and stature” as he waited for God’s time and leading. His waiting was the preparation needed for Jesus to live out his call and his purpose.

That is something for us to think about today. The way God’s purpose and plan unfolded in Jesus’ life, is the way we experience God’s purpose for us, individually and as a faith community. We have our waiting times, these times make us uncomfortable, but the result of these times is the preparation of our spirits to be God’s servants, we too grow in knowledge and wisdom during such times. We, like Jesus are waiting for the pieces of the bigger picture to fall into place. In God’s perfect timing, we hear “the voice behind us saying, “this is the way walk in it.”

Remember,

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Psalm 130:5

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope"

LET US PRAY

Forgive me for all my doubts, worries, and fears. Forgive me for my impatience as I wait in this place. Forgive me for questioning the story you are writing for me. 

I believe in your good will toward me. Help me to remember that it is good to wait for you.

Grant me the joy that comes from knowing you.
Fill my heart with gospel joy. Amen

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:33, 11:36