William Holman Hunt, The Finding of the Savior in the Temple (1860) Psalm 148
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Luke 2:41-52
Colossians 3:12-21
Mary and Joseph searched for Him everywhere.
Is He with the relatives? Playing with his cousins?
Perhaps he’s with John—
you know how those two like to run and play hide and seek!
No? Not with John and Elizabeth and Zechariah?
Well, then, Perhaps He’s with friends…Nathan and Jakin!
No?
Not with them, either?
What about Levi and Hannah?
Oh dear…
What’s that?
No one’s seen him since the day before yesterday?
Where is he? Where did he go?
Oh, Jesus! Where ARE you?
Sometimes we can’t find you either, Lord,
We take it for granted that you’re around somewhere,
And then when we call for you, there’s no response.
We become frantic—
Have you left us? What’s happened to you?
Where are you? Where did you go?
What will we do without you?
Mary and Joseph finally found him, after three days of diligent searching.
"Son, why have you treated us like this?
Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
Centuries later, our question is no different:
Lord, why have you treated us like this?
We’ve been anxiously searching for you!
I’ve been anxious...
I’ve been searching…
Why have You left me?
Later on You would pose that same question to Your Father.
But on that day,
you met Mary and Joseph’s question with one of your own:
Why were you searching for me?
Lord Jesus, thank you that You have come and searched us out:
Help us to remember that it is not You who are lost, but we ourselves.
May we be found in You today,
as God’s chosen people,
members of Your body,
holy, and dearly loved.
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