Luke 2:39-52

Have you ever heard the saying, "She is so heavenly bound she is no earthly good,"?  That does initiate a grin because we all know someone who could fill that bill. The lesson in Luke's Gospel today tells how important it is to be well-rounded, Jesus was.

The verse below is one many of us recognize but I need to tell you I never really took in the last sentence, never gave much thought to this because the preceding line about His mother pondering these things, always had my attention.  Now, as I am praying about what God is trying to tell me or show me when I read His Word, I see so much more.

Jesus grew in stature as he physically developed from boy to man.  He grew in wisdom as He matured mentally.  The as he got older he became socially adept.  Scripture says He grew in favor with God and man.  He was loved by others; family members and probably friends and neighbors.  He grew in favor with God indicates He was developing spiritually too.

Jesus knew the Sacred Scriptures, He had them memorized and He understood their meaning.  Young Jewish boys and men studied and read daily.  That is how they Grew up Strong in God's Word.  It is how we will too.

"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." (Luke 2:51-52)
Read the Luke 2:39-52 text here.

Paul Gives Thanks - Ephesians 1:15-23

Do you know who you are?

Paul prays continually for the Ephesians. He gives thanks for their faith in Christ and their love for all God’s people. He continually asks God to give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. He prays that the eyes of their heart be enlightened; that the Truth be revealed to them.

Paul wants the Ephesians, and you and me, to know God better. If we are to live our lives by faith we must know and understand who we are…the Truth of the hope we have, the knowledge of our inheritance, and the power we have in Christ.

We are Christians. Nothing we do will make God love us more than He already does. We need to be more than Christians by name…attending church because it’s what we do on Sunday, praying a prayer when we need to, and reading scripture when we have time.

Getting a clearer picture of who we are and the blessings we inherit as Christians requires us to devote time to prayer, study and reading of God’s Word. Truth is revealed to us when we consciously commit to a relationship with Him…that we would “set [our] minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Col. 3:2)

Let us show we are thankful that “… He fills everything with His presence” (v 23 TM) by living our lives with Christ truly IN us as a real part of our hearts.

Read today's scripture on Biblegateway.