Have you lost sight of Jesus?

Heads up, I want to share a Bible passage that really surprised me:

“After the festival was over, Joseph and Mary started their journey home. But they did not realize that Jesus was staying behind in Jerusalem. On the first day of their return journey, they did not notice Him…” (Luke 2:43-44 NLT)

Picture this: You have a 12-year-old son, and on Saturday evening, you and your husband are invited to a lovely Christmas party with friends. The party is fun, and afterward, you fall into bed exhausted. On Sunday, you hang out and enjoy some good food, and it isn’t until Monday morning that you think, “Oops, where’s our son? He should be at school!” 😮

Unimaginable!

But do you know what’s just as unimaginable—and yet can happen so quickly? Going through the Christmas season and only realizing afterward: “I celebrated the festival without the birthday child.”

I always like to be honest with you. Recently, I was asked to sing a few songs at a church. When I came off stage, I thought, “Something felt off.” And it wasn’t the people. It was ME.

Then I realized that I had “just gone through the motions” of singing the songs without thinking about WHAT I was actually singing. That hadn’t happened to me in years. What caused it? Not a specific sin in my life, but something so simple—fatigue.

I didn’t notice it at first, until I, like Mary and Joseph, withdrew from the hustle and bustle of the holidays and realized: “Something essential is missing here!” Once they realized it, they went back to find Jesus in Jerusalem (see Luke 2:43-46).

My heartfelt wish for the coming days is this:

Don’t lose sight of Jesus during the holidays, even amidst all the festivities, treats, or even little squabbles. 😉

Let’s be mindful of EVERY moment, and intentionally look at and worship the child in the manger!

You are a miracle!