Father’s house – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

Getting involved with the things of our Father

Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house? (Luke 2:49)

Jesus’ words really struck me this morning. By the time he was 12, he realized how important it was to be in his Father’s house. And I was wondering, how many Christians understand that?

How many think on Sunday mornings, “It’s necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”

But as I was looking at the footnotes of my Bible today, I was reminded of something. The word “house” is not in the Greek.

More literally, Jesus said, “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in the <things> of my Father?”

What those things are is not exactly clear. Since his parents were looking for him, it makes sense that “things” means “my Father’s house.”

But in my footnotes, it gives the alternate translations of “be involved in my Father’s interests” or “be among my Father’s people.”

Honestly, I can be self-centered at times, thinking only of myself.

But I want to be like Jesus. I want to be involved in my Father’s interests. I want to value the things my Father values.

Jesus, give me your heart, each day valuing the things the Father values.

Doing our Father’s work

As I looked at the story of the adolescent Jesus, his words to his parents struck me.

Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49)

Jesus probably isn’t saying here, “I needed to be here in the temple to worship my Father.”

Actually, in the Greek, the word “house” is not even there. It literally says, “Didn’t you know it was necessary for me to be in the …. of my Father.”

Obviously, he was in the temple, so the word “house” gets put in there by translators. But in the KJV and the footnotes of most translations, it says, “it was necessary for me to be doing my Father’s business.”

And that was probably Jesus’s ultimate meaning: “I need to be involved with the things my Father is doing.”

As God’s children, so do we.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we need to be serving at the church every day. It does mean that wherever we are, we need to see what God is doing around us.

Whenever we touch people with his love, that’s doing ministry. That’s getting involved with our Father’s business.

How about you? Are you involved with your Father’s business?