Mount Clinton Mennonite Church
"Thought for the Week"
(Aug. 17, 2003)
Mount Clinton Mennonite Church"Thought for the Week"
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Current "Thought for the Week" |
Setting Our Children Free...
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| "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them.--Luke 2: 49, 50 (NIV) |
| Context: Luke 2: 41-52 (NIV) |
In our congregation in Virginia (USA), several young people have recently gone on service and learning trips to Africa or are preparing to leave for a term of service as a volunteer in the state of Oregon.
How do we as parents (or grandparents and friends) feel about our children leaving us and their homes and traveling sometimes into situations that might not appear "safe" as we would define the word?
We could be very non-supportive of our young people, just as Jesus' parents were when they discovered that Jesus was not with them as they left Jerusalem after the Passover. Several days later they found the boy Jesus talking with the Jewish leaders in the Temple. Luke records: "When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, 'Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.'" (Luke 2: 48)
Or we could acknowledge that God is working in their lives and leading them where he wants to lead them. After Jesus responded, explaining his actions as listed in our focused verse, Luke records a changed mother. "But his mother treasured all these things in her heart." (Luke 2: 51b)
So the choice is ours. Will we try to hold on to our young people, or will we give them God's blessing and our encouragement as they move into the world as God's children?
| Prayer: | God, we love our children, our young people, but help us to know the support of your Spirit as we encourage and enable these persons, your children, to serve you wherever you call them. In Jesus' name, Amen! |
Richard Bowman
Pastor: Lee Martin (email: mcmchurch@juno.com
)
Editor: Richard Bowman (email: rbowman@bridgewater.edu
)
Maintained by Richard L. Bowman (email: rbowman@bridgewater.edu. Last modified: 20-Aug-03.