Mary's Journal Entry 16 : Jesus Found!

Previously in this series:
Mary's Journal Entries:
Introduction;  1:The Announcement;  2:Elizabeth Visit;  3:Return Home from Elizabeth;  4:After Telling Joseph;  5:Joseph's Revelation;  6:Planning for a Trip;  7:Traveling to Bethlehem;  8: Arrival In Bethlehem  9: He's Here!!  10: Visitors in the Night   11:Visit to the Temple   12: Running to Egypt  13: Murder of Boys  14: .Return to Nazareth  15: Search for Jesus

The following as if journaled from the perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus...
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I sit writing tonight totally relieved!!  We found Jesus!  3 days of searching… but we found him.   

Why was I so alarmed?  Why was I so upset?  Could I not trust God to take care of him and know where he was??

My Jesus, 12 years old now, was not out playing with the other boys as I thought he might be.  He was not out exploring.  He was in the place I least expected him.   

While we were in Jerusalem, we noticed a crowd in the temple courts.  We approached the crowd, and there sitting in the middle of those men, those teachers, was my Jesus?! 

He was listening to them.  He was asking them questions.  They were amazed at his understanding and his answers to their questions.  I was absolutely astonished when I saw him!   

Of course my panic stricken relief began to immediately question him as to why he had treated us like this.  I was sure to let him know that we had been anxiously searching for him.

He did not seem alarmed.  He seemed puzzled, in fact, that we would be searching for him.  That we would not know he was in his Father’s house.  I’m not quite sure what he was meaning by that.  I was just relieved to have located him!

As we travel back to Nazareth, I have thought on this some more.  He is 12.  He is in that awkward stage of development that all children his age go through.  His body doesn’t quite seem to always know how to handle itself.  It doesn’t always appear to be comfortable in it’s own skin.  It is almost as if his body is growing faster than it can keep up.  His voice now occasionally cracks when he speaks.  It is deepening into that of a man.  He is as tall as I am… yet so obedient, so very respectful and obedient.

Where did my little boy go?  Who is this man beginning to appear before my eyes?  It seems like just yesterday I was holding that baby boy in my arms so helpless, so needy, so little.   

And now??  He sits among the temple courts with the teachers.  He is holding conversations with them beyond his years.   

As I take these moments to think back over the past twelve years… I treasure each memory deep within my heart and soul. Each journey, each path, each tear, each joy, each sorrow.   

The skinned knees, the rocks saved, the puddles jumped into, the thumb hit with Joseph‘s carpenter hammer… all of it… the good and the bad.  I treasure it deeper than even words or thoughts can penetrate. 

I’m not sure of the future in store for him.  I’m not sure I’m ready for what it may be.  But my Jesus, my son… is not just my son… He is God’s Son and I can be certain there is a plan… and it is not my plan.  Of that I am sure!

Jehovah, be the provider of the plan… Your plan.
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Jesus is growing in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and man.  He is growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people. 

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