Welcome to Day 7 of our 40-day Journey to the Cross devotional. Today we look at one of the few accounts of Jesus’s childhood found in the Scriptures found in Luke 2:39-52.

We are coming in on the end of another childhood event, so let me give some background real quick. After Jesus was born, His family followed the Jewish custom of circumcision. This was an eight-day ceremony and included presenting the firstborn to the Lord and offering a sacrifice to Him in the temple. During that event, Simeon and Anna both testified that Jesus was the awaited Messiah. We pick up on what happened at the end of those eight days.  

“When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him. Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and 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 them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them.

Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.”

Luke 2:39-52

Jesus’s journey was not immediate. He didn’t just manifest from heaven on the cross. Like any human baby, Jesus took years to grow into adulthood. He learned how to speak. He learned how to walk. He studied the Scriptures like other Jewish children in Nazareth. As a young man, He even learned and worked a trade as he worked alongside Joseph as a craftsman.

But He was also interested in theological discussions. In Jewish society, a Jewish boy was expected to take his place in the religious community of Israel at age 13. At twelve years old, Jesus was preparing for the responsibilities of adulthood. When the rabbis sat in the temple courts discussing theology, Jesus sat among them, asking questions, and showing insight into the law that drew wonder and respect from those leaders. Yet still He grew. Twice it was mentioned in that passage that Jesus grew. His body matured and He grew in wisdom. It took time. Although He was God, Jesus was also a true human being.

Along His journey to the cross, Jesus demonstrated His authority. He healed the sick and cast out demons, but He also taught about God and His law. In Mark 1, the people were already marveling at His teaching, but then a man with an unclean spirit was brought in. Jesus rebuked the spirit and drove it out of the man. The people’s response is interesting. “They were all amazed and began to ask each other: “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” News began to spread about this teacher with authority. It took time for people to recognize Jesus as the Messiah so that they could understand and testify to His sacrificial death and His resurrection.

Despite the time it took, the outcome proved well worth the wait. Are you waiting on God to deliver you? Are you waiting for relief from your situation? Waiting can be difficult, yet knowing God’s love for you in Christ, you can trust Him to send deliverance at just the right time. It will be well worth the wait.

Today read Mark 1:21-28 on your own and write down any observations or questions that arise. Find a brother or sister in Christ and discuss them or send me a message and we can discuss it together. As you pray, ask God to grant you patience despite the difficulty of waiting.

Thank you for joining me for Day 7. We are now a full week into the devo. I hope that you are not only enjoying it but are being transformed by the Holy Spirit through it. Let me know your thoughts on my Facebook page. Come back tomorrow for Day 8.