The Test of Faith: Assuming
The Assumption of Joseph and Mary
The Test of Faith – Assuming
“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing Him to be in the group…”
Luke 2:41-44
There is much to say concerning the enormity of this truth. How many of us place our trust in the group, the congregation, and our association with others, rather than taking responsibility for our own personal walk with Him? There will always come the great test of our faith along this line: do we remain loyal to people, or do we stay faithful to Him and His presence within?
The heartbreak and shipwreck of those who “suppose” He is in the group, with a teacher, with a prophet, or some organization, has led many to diminished apprehensions of His Life, wandering in a wilderness of stagnation and sorrow.
There is a vast difference between those who follow Him in a group and those whose hearts are set upon Him alone. When the need for the acceptance of men becomes greater than our desire for the approval of God, we inherently forfeit our call as a servant of God.
“…do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men,
I should not be the servant of Christ”
Galatians 1:10
Jesus, even at the young age of twelve, demonstrated a singularity of purpose. When His parents found Him, He was in the Temple asking questions of the elders and teachers. His response to His distraught parents upon finding him after His disappearance was: “Know ye not that I must be about my Father…” (literal Greek) [See Related Article The Unity of God]
His desire is to produce that same singularity of purpose in us whereby we are made free of any other obligation. Discipleship is the call to a united heart in which He alone is the purpose of all movement in life.
Obscurity of spiritual vision comes when the motives of our hearts are mixed with other loves and self-interests.. It is the pure in heart who see God clearly.
As David cried out in this Psalm:
“Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth:
unite my heart to fear thy name”
Psalm 86:11
The process of becoming unified in the heart is one of learning His way and walking in His way.
Obedience is the path to our knowing Him personally and intimately.
“But he that doeth truth cometh to the light…”
John 3:21
Please read Related Post: Being True
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“Men, it has been well said, think in herds…”
Charles Mackay
Brian Troxel
Thank you for this insight. They had to wait on Him and understand His purpose.
Yes Amen. They who take His yoke will not be encumbered with any other.
Blessings on your journey in your walk with Him.
BT
“Singularity of purpose” what a great prospect for a believer. I think, too many times we find strength in numbers, and even a three stand cord is better, but in our relationship with God, it must be singular, there’s no way around it, and rightly so. As a child I wanted my time and gifts from my dad, and was jealous if someone else had it and not me, I think I might still be that way. The things of God can still be that way for us, and I think is the beginning of a life long pursuit of Jesus.
Thank you for sharing.
The singularity of the heart is where we become servants of Him in the lives of others. But our service unto others is much different than the “group think” it should be. The fear of the Lord frees us from the fear of man and brings us into the freedom of the Spirit to speak His words and walk accordingly. They who speak His words must bear His reproach.
Blessings
BT
As one from a youth leader back ground, I often think of all those parents that brought their kids to church for 18 years and then watched them drift quickly away from any semblance of walk with the Lord. Often those youth would claim they never adopted their parents faith. They just went along playing the role expected. I still remember every phone call from distraught parents wondering what went wrong, most were 10 years too late.
It is a sad testimony of our day – nothing replaces the need for each child to have their own encounter with God. You can’t teach His wonder – My own have had their own experience but I worry that the Christian culture can easily replace the presentation of their own personal need in our grandchildren… Much to pray over!
Blessings
BT
To God be the glory I have always been a free spirit, not one to follow the crowds. That has certainly helped me in my walk with Christ, especially in today’s society where you are looked at as strange when God’s truth is more important than being popular or accepted. Thank you BT for your continued encouragement! Stay blessed 🙏
Hello Curleen
Love the comment. The more we are conformed into His likeness the stranger we will appear to those of this world. Be blessed in all things!
BT