Sunday, June 24, 2012

Times are A-changin'


     Is this the life of a teen-ager's mom?  I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I had no idea of all of the feelings that I would have.  I heard about the smart mouth, the rebellion, the disrespect, the “know-it-all” mentality, etc. and all of the things that would happen to my kids.  I’ve seen glimmers of all of these, but no one told me what would happen inside of me.  The little girl that once followed me around trying to get my attention all day is now the same one that disappears for hours at a time into her “cave” of a room and doesn’t seem to need me anymore.  I have to admit it makes me sad.
     It reminded me today of this…



Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.  When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.   After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.  When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.  After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.  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.”
   “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”   But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
   Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.    And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.



     His parents were anxious when he disappeared.  They weren’t ready, but he was.  They knew that and they trusted God once he told them what was happening.  In the same way, my daughter is ready for a new phase in her life.  She isn’t leaving anytime soon or anything, she will still be with us and hopefully she will try to follow his example to live obediently with us.  And I, like Mary, will treasure that in my heart and I will pray that she will grow in wisdom and her own God-given stature in her life with Christ.  I will pray and trust and try to get used to this new time in our lives together.  I never read this story the way I did today as a mom of a thirteen year old.   It just proves to me that God’s word never changes but we do and what we read yesterday could speak to us completely differently today.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  
2 Tim. 3:16-17

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