Midweek devotion: Growing Up - Luke 2:40

A short video devotion based on Luke 2:40. How Christ's young life can help us with our issues today.

 

Luke 2:40 And the child Jesus grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. (NIV)

I like this picture of Jesus that Luke’s Gospel describes which, in just one sentence, covers at least twelve years. He grew up strong, probably because Jesus helped his earthly Dad, Joseph, in the carpentry business. I can see him carrying bundles of wood, using heavy tools, and even sweeping the sawdust from the floor at the end of each day. I think he would have enjoyed that work and there are old legends of Christ creating perfect pieces of furniture for customers in Nazareth.

But as well as strength, Jesus was also filled with wisdom, which meant that He must have attended school, studying the scriptures at the local synagogue, filling His mind with the wisdom of the Jewish sages in the past. In years to come, this knowledge would enable Him to follow God’s path and help other people find God’s Kingdom.

Lastly, in this one verse we are also told that the grace of God was on Him. What was the use of all that strength and knowledge if He didn’t know how to use it compassionately, mercifully, and lovingly? Strength can be used to bully others who are weaker; wisdom can be employed to marginalize those less able, but when God’s grace is mixed in with them, strength is used to support others and wisdom finds ways to help others. So, when Luke describes how Jesus grew up, he is showing us how God shaped Christ’s life for His future ministry.

Dear friends, in the midst of this pandemic, we may wonder what it is going to take to get us beyond this crisis. I believe that Luke presents the formula for such a solution: strength, wisdom, and the grace of God.

So, here is something to personally ponder: what strengths do we have and what knowledge do we possess that could be enhanced by the grace of God?

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, Your life is a true example of someone who was shaped by God to serve Him with strength, wisdom, and grace. Help us to be open to God’s will at this crucial time. May we serve Him and one another with all of our power and knowledge, mixed in with God’s grace. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.