Pastor How to Read LukeSample

Please read the Gospel of Luke 2:51,

Verse 51 - His mother kept all these things in her heart.

This is not Mary's first time pondering about Jesus.

Remember in verse 19 (Day 20) - Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

From verses 19 to 51 it was 12 years. I am sure there were many more but they were not recorded in the Bible. It seems like Mary had been keeping these incredible incidents and supernatural experiences in her heart. Initially, Mary didn’t understand Jesus and His life purpose. She had a clue here and a hint there. But as she stored up these experiences, a pattern began to form.

This is also how we figure out our life purpose too. Sometimes we expect angels to appear or a burning bush extravaganza. But in reality, God leads us by supernatural incidents and divine coincidences, through people we meet, closed doors and circumstances, etc. Isn’t that how we ended up becoming a Christian?

So we should learn from Mary. She kept these experiences in her heart like pieces of life’s puzzle. Each piece is not of serendipity but they are breadcrumbs left by our Father. At first we shrug it off as coincidences, then we attribute it to fate or fortune. Eventually, when we put it all together, a pattern begins to form to reveal our destiny. Finally, we realize all along it was God’s Masterplan.

Proverbs 25:2 (NKJV) It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

For God conceals a matter, but it is for kings to seek it out. We are kings seeking out our life's purpose.

Last parenting tip – Be like Mary. Observe your children. Put together all the pieces of incidents and experiences. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the pattern.

Don’t impose your own image and path for your kids. Our children’s destinies are not shaped by our mold or by society's cookie cutter, but they are a divine puzzle for parents to solve. They have God’s imprint, formed by God. And when they conform into God’s image and design, they become the most beautiful Masterpiece. As parents we can only shape their character and values. For their destiny, we can only counsel and guide.

I pray with all my heart that our kids will experience a greater revival than their parents.