“Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you.’” Zechariah 1:3
The most unlikely person to lose Jesus was his mother. She was intimate and close to Him, but somehow, in the middle of all the hustle and bustle, she became distracted and lost Him. If you’re not very careful, you can also lose Him. You can lose Jesus if you’re not careful about where you go, what your ears listen to, what your eyes look at, the people you hang around, and what you give your heart to. You can lose your fellowship with Jesus Christ, no matter how long you have been a Christian. The things that occupy your brain and heart can dull your spirit to Jesus’s presence and lead you away from Him.
How long has it been since you fellowshipped with Jesus in a powerful way? Mary walked for three days before she even noticed that Jesus was missing. You can be partaking in all the religious celebrations, coming to church, singing the songs, and playing the part you are supposed to play, but Jesus could be far from you. You may know all about Jesus, a great historical figure, but not know Him personally as your Savior. Or maybe you were close to Him at one time, but now you are just going through a routine.
In the book of Revelation, the Laodicean church performed all the religious rituals, but their hearts were far from those of Jesus. While they were doing religious things inside the church, Jesus was on the outside, knocking and saying, “Open the door and let Me in.” They were singing songs. They were preaching sermons. They were doing all kinds of spiritual things, but Christ was not there. He was outside the church.
Mary lost Jesus among holy surroundings. They were at the temple celebrating the Passover when she lost track of Him. 2 Corinthians 13:5 challenges us, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” You cannot live on the victories and prayers of ten years ago. Keep Jesus close to you today. When Mary found Jesus, He was right where she had left Him. If you want to return to Jesus, return to your place of prayer. He will be waiting there, right where you left Him.
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