He Grew Up a Good Kid : Luke 2:51-52 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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He Grew Up a Good Kid - Luke 2:51-52

Jesus went with them to Nazareth. He obeyed everything his parents said. His mother was still thinking about all these things. Jesus continued to learn more and more. He grew taller. People liked Jesus, and he pleased God. (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

Luke lets us know that Jesus was a "good kid." As Jesus grew up, he was obedient, he grew smarter, he made God proud, and he was liked by others. Like any loving parent, Mary stored up the memories of his childhood in her heart. There were no shortcuts for the Messiah. God's Son had to grow up and live a life of character in a family just like any other child. His wisdom came as he grew. Yet all the while, God's mission for him lay ahead. Think of it: if we cannot fathom God fully in human flesh, what must it have been like for Mary and Joseph? Yet in this divine mystery are our healing, God's grace, and the Savior's glory. Now God calls us to grow, in all ways, to be like his Son.

Today's Prayer

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Father, you know that I sometimes get tired and distracted in my spiritual development. Forgive my past times of spiritual laziness and stir in me a holy passion to be conformed and grow ever more fully into the person you want me to be. In the name of Jesus and by the power of his transforming Spirit may this be so. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the feast like they always did. When the feast days were finished, they went home. But the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know about it. Joseph and Mary traveled for a whole day. They thought that Jesus was with them in the group. They began to look for him among their family and close friends. But Joseph and Mary did not find Jesus in the group. So they went back to Jerusalem to look for him there. After three days they found him. Jesus was sitting in the temple area with the religious teachers, listening and asking them questions. Everyone heard him. They were amazed at his understanding and wise answers. When Jesus' parents saw him, they were amazed. His mother said to him, "Son, why did you do this to us? Your father and I were very worried about you. We have been looking for you." Jesus said to them, "Why did you have to look for me? You should have known that I must be where my Father's (God's) work is!" But they did not understand the meaning of what he said to them. Jesus went with them to Nazareth. He obeyed everything his parents said. His mother was still thinking about all these things. Jesus continued to learn more and more. He grew taller. People liked Jesus, and he pleased God.

— Luke 2:41-52 (ERV)

In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything. Christ was equal with God. But Christ did not think that being equal with God was something that he must keep. He gave up his place with God and agreed to be like a servant. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused him to die. And he died on a cross. Christ obeyed God, so God raised Christ to the most important place. God made the name of Christ greater than every other name. God did this because he wants every person to bow for the name of Jesus. Every person in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth will bow. Every person will confess (say), "Jesus Christ is Lord (Master)." When they say this, it will bring glory to God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11 (ERV)

The Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And our faces are not covered. We all show the Lord's glory. We are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings more and more glory. This glory comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (ERV)

My little children, again I feel pain for you like a mother feels when she gives birth. I will feel this until you truly become like Christ.
Galatians 4:19 (ERV)

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HEARTLIGHT^® Magazine is produced by Heartlight, Inc. HEARTLIGHT is a registered service mark of Heartlight, Inc. PO Box 7044, Abilene, TX, USA 79608-7044. Copyright © 1996-2009. Heartlight is supported by Westover Hills Church, Southern Hills Church, and loving Christians from around the world. Scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. Used by permission. All rights reserved.