At the end of Luke's Christmas story, we see Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem after His parents departed from the annual Feast of Passover. The celebration was over, and His absence was not fully collected until a whole day had passed. Jesus was gone, and Mary was frantic. Three days later (God was missing for three whole days!) they find Him in the temple asking questions of the teachers. While those around Him were amazed at His understanding, the virgin-turned-mother reprimands her son, Why have You treated us this way?
Sometimes my questions for Jesus look much the same way:
Why are You silent?
Why did You do it this way?
Why can't I find You here, in this place?
The celebration is over.
The season of birth has passed, and all of the decorations are coming down.
Schedules are becoming full again as the daily life returns to just that--the daily.
But Jesus is not confined to a season, and I have to remember that.
And I can hear Him answer my heart-questions the same way He answered His mother's: Because I had to be in My Father's house.
My search begins and ends there.
I don't always understand what that will look like, and I am often frantic in the search, but I know that I will find my resting place in that house.
Because the reason for the season is the hope of our everyday.
Because Jesus came to put His Father's house right here on earth; inside the hearts of all who seek Him.
If the season has somehow passed from your heart, if you are frantically looking for Him because He seems so absent, there's really only one place to look...it's the place where thoughts are treasured and amazement is pondered.
It's in His Father's house.
Open His word again and let Him remind you of the place that He went ahead to prepare for you.
It's quite the mansion, and Jesus is there.
