Luke 2:49 “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”
This verse was written to describe an event that took place when Jesus was just 12 years old. The Bible gives very little information about this time in His life, but this one verse tells us much about Him.
From it, it can be gathered that Jesus was serious in His pre-teen and teen years. He certainly was advanced in His knowledge about the Bible and it caught the eyes of the doctors of Bible law.
He was also single-minded. He was focused on doing what the Father wanted. It may be doubted that He had much time for fun and games like others His human age.
Jesus’ reply was a respectful and gentle rebuke to His parents. He reminded them that He came for one purpose – to do his Father’s will. In Psalm 40:7,8, a prophecy of Christ, we are told: “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
The Bible is very clear that Jesus did His Father’s will while He was on earth – and not His own. In John 4:34, Jesus revealed that it was the doing of His Father’s will that energized Him: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Then again, in John 6:38, He reveals that He did not come to earth to do what He wanted: “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
If we, as Christians, truly want to be like Jesus (true disciples), then we also must be single-minded and focused on doing one thing – the will of the Father. Yes, we will fail at times. By the grace of God, though, we can get up again instead of wallowing in self-pity and seek His face for help. He is ready to give all we need to serve Him as we should.