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
