Day 21: Keep Jesus Front and Center
Keep Jesus Front and Center
"Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my father's house?" (Luke 2:49)
Unbeknownst to Jesus' parents, they left Jerusalem after the annual Feast of the Passover without their 12-year-old Jesus. Once they realized he wasn't among them, they turned back the caravan and searched all over the city, looking for him. After three days, they finally found him in the temple, sitting with the teachers and engaging with them over the Scriptures! His parents were relieved to have found him, but Jesus Himself was surprised they would have looked elsewhere for him besides the temple.
What an example our Lord Jesus set for us. Even at such a young age, Jesus was passionate about the things of God! What mattered most to Him was being connected to His Father, and even at 12 years of age, He had wisdom enough to know it is the Father who "gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6). He knew, as His forefather King David had written, that "...the commandments of the LORD are wise, enlightening the eyes and more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb." (Psalm 19:7-10).
From the earliest account of Jesus' life and interactions with people, we find Him consumed with the things of God! PLEASE LET THAT SINK IN. Because this would set the tone for the rest of His earthly life, His relationship with His Father was always front and center. He was so connected with the Father that He would say things like, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). Before He went to the cross, in that great High Priestly prayer, He prayed to the Father for His disciples and disciples of future generations, "...that they may be one EVEN AS WE ARE ONE, I in them AND YOU IN ME, that they may become perfectly one..." (John 17:22-
23).
I love that, and coming out of this season of fasting and prayer, that's how I want to live! As Jesus pursued His Father, so I want to pursue Him who loved me and gave Himself for me. May the flame of our passion for the King be so white-hot that people will "see us burn" from miles away!
As we end this season, our prayer target is that we wouldn't be satisfied with all God has done. May we keep our eyes focused and set on Him. May the God of hope continue to fill you with His love and presence as you keep your mind stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).
P.S. If you sense that God has done something powerful within you or for you during this season of corporate fasting and prayer, please consider sharing it at our prayer meeting on Wednesday, September 28th, as we join to seek the Lord, worship Him, and celebrate by hearing testimonies of God's goodness and faithfulness!
Unbeknownst to Jesus' parents, they left Jerusalem after the annual Feast of the Passover without their 12-year-old Jesus. Once they realized he wasn't among them, they turned back the caravan and searched all over the city, looking for him. After three days, they finally found him in the temple, sitting with the teachers and engaging with them over the Scriptures! His parents were relieved to have found him, but Jesus Himself was surprised they would have looked elsewhere for him besides the temple.
What an example our Lord Jesus set for us. Even at such a young age, Jesus was passionate about the things of God! What mattered most to Him was being connected to His Father, and even at 12 years of age, He had wisdom enough to know it is the Father who "gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6). He knew, as His forefather King David had written, that "...the commandments of the LORD are wise, enlightening the eyes and more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb." (Psalm 19:7-10).
From the earliest account of Jesus' life and interactions with people, we find Him consumed with the things of God! PLEASE LET THAT SINK IN. Because this would set the tone for the rest of His earthly life, His relationship with His Father was always front and center. He was so connected with the Father that He would say things like, "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). Before He went to the cross, in that great High Priestly prayer, He prayed to the Father for His disciples and disciples of future generations, "...that they may be one EVEN AS WE ARE ONE, I in them AND YOU IN ME, that they may become perfectly one..." (John 17:22-
23).
I love that, and coming out of this season of fasting and prayer, that's how I want to live! As Jesus pursued His Father, so I want to pursue Him who loved me and gave Himself for me. May the flame of our passion for the King be so white-hot that people will "see us burn" from miles away!
As we end this season, our prayer target is that we wouldn't be satisfied with all God has done. May we keep our eyes focused and set on Him. May the God of hope continue to fill you with His love and presence as you keep your mind stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).
P.S. If you sense that God has done something powerful within you or for you during this season of corporate fasting and prayer, please consider sharing it at our prayer meeting on Wednesday, September 28th, as we join to seek the Lord, worship Him, and celebrate by hearing testimonies of God's goodness and faithfulness!
Posted in September 2022 Fast
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Day 1: Meditate on the Power of GodDay 2: Dependence on God Through Prayer and FastingDay 3: Fighting our Battles BiblicallyDay 4: Real Worshippers Never Sit DownDay 5: Power in our Praise!Day 6: Spirit-Empowered for the ImpossibleDay 7: A Man Just Like UsDay 8: Short-term denial, long-term gainDay 9: The Power of ANDDay 10: New Seasons, New ReasonsDay 11: Sacrificial LivingDay 12: Failing ForwardDay 13: Keep it GoingDay 14: Be Still and KnowDay 15: PerspectiveDay 16: Don\'t Ever StopDay 17: Trust Jesus, pick up your mat, and walk!Day 18: Take off the MaskDay 19: A New ThingDay 20: You've Been Put on NoticeDay 21: Keep Jesus Front and Center