Luke 2:49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
In context, Jesus asked this of His parents when they found Him in the temple talking with the scholars. They’d found Him missing and understandably were scared that their child had wandered off. They admonished Him and this was the answer He gave.
This is a question every believer must answer in our walk with the Lord – “Why did you seek Me?” What do we hope to find? What does following Jesus mean to us? Who is He in the “everyday” of our lives?
Believers will inevitably hit rough water… sickness, financial problems, family crises. It’s a fact of life. Jesus is not bubble wrap for our comfort. Why did we seek Him? Rough waters allow us to grow into a deeper understanding of why we sought Him. Hard times challenge our faith. Pain and grief cause us to grow into more intimate relationship with Him. It’s when all our worldly safety nets are failing and our earthly anchors are coming loose in the storm that we seek God desperately and with a brokenness of heart that receives the seeds of His change.
Yet, we don’t like these rough waters. We fight them. It’s during these times that Jesus asks us the second question – “Did you not know I must be about My Father’s business?” Think about this question. This is Jesus’ eyes looking directly into our soul. Talk about a showstopping moment.
What is the Father’s business with us? It is to change us into the image of His Son. It is to cause us to serve one another. It is to grow us in relationship with Him. It is to get us to trust and draw closer. It makes sense then that, given the fact that rough waters, tribulations, and persecutions cause us to draw closer, that Jesus will allow into our lives exactly these things.
Why did we seek Him? To obtain a deeper and richer, more fulfilling relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Well, since this is our goal, why does it amaze us when Jesus goes about doing just this in our lives? Why does it amaze us when our faith is challenged? Did we not know that He would be about His Father’s business? Did we believe we could seek and find, yet never experience the business side of our walk? We knew He must be about just that. If nothing changed after we sought Jesus, did we really find Him?
The questions still echo down through the ages to every believer today. Jesus wasn’t just asking His mother and father. He asks us, when we become frustrated with life and it all seems too much – Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?
Why indeed? Did we not know these days would come?