Sunday Sentiments

Lent began this week, and even though everything about our entire week has been out of sorts, I've been committed to staying on track with the study I wanted to do this Lenten season. I'm catching little nuggets from Scripture I've never noticed before, even though I've studied some of these same passages in-depth before. 

One night I read through the passage about Jesus staying in the Temple as a young boy. You might remember it...but if not, you can read about it in Luke 2:41-50.

As I read and studied, these words stuck out to me: After the festival was over...the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.

This collective world hasn't participated in too many events over the past year, but you still remember what events are like, right? You attend them and then they conclude. There is always a definite ending point. A benediction. Concluding speech. Final farewell. You say your goodbyes, gather up your things, and head home.

Events don't typically have an encore. Everyone understands that when the agenda reaches its last item and the clock reflects the end, its just over. You might be sad that it's over. You might be ready to sign up for next year's program. But this one is done.

Jesus went with His parents for the Festival of the Passover. Passover had been happening for hundreds of years. Everyone knew how it worked. They knew when it started, how it progressed, and when it ended. They knew the road that led them there and the road that led them home. 

The Festival ended. The people headed home. 

Except for Jesus.

He stayed.

He stayed not because He wanted to run away from His family. He stayed not because He was having a fun vacation and He wanted more time. He stayed because He wanted to go to the Temple and sit at the feet of the teachers to listen and talk. 

He wanted to be in His Father's House. 

He didn't care that the prescribed Festival agenda had ended. He didn't care that it was time to go home. He didn't care that He was "supposed to" go home for another year. He let His desire to be near the Father override the schedule.

That struck me as I studied. It reminded me a bit of times I've been in church services where the altars were lined with people praying at the end. The pastor would say that the church service had ended, and everyone was welcome to leave if they wanted or needed to. But the church would stay open until the altar was clear. If anyone needed to stay and pray, they could. It didn't matter that it was past the end of the regular service time. 

I came away from that night of study challenged to desire staying in God's presence, even after its "time to leave." Even if I stay alone. Even if no one else realizes I've stayed. Even if no one understands why I did. 

May I always want to stay.