Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem
My Mom's best girlfriend was named Ellie. Ellie and Mom were friends for over 75 years. They sledded down the hills of the inner city together during the Great Depression, wrote letters together to the soldiers in WW2, got married around the same time, and each had six kids. Their fourth children, born around the same time and both boys were both named Edward (without consultation and from different sources!), so Ellie's boy was called Ned, and my little brother was called Ed, so we could tell them apart, as they LOOKED alike too! Ed and Ned became great pals and seemed inseparable. Our two families often went on vacations together.
On one particular jaunt to Cape Cod from Boston (a distance of about 80 miles), both behemoth, heavily-laden Station Wagons (immortalized by the Griswolds!) pulled up at the first of many gas stations on the journey. It was then that both families realized that Ned and Ed (age about7) were MISSING!
"I thought Ned was with YOU!" cried Ellie.
"I thought Ed was with YOU!" cried Mom.
Both Station Wagons turned around and went back to Boston, and there they found Ned and Ed, playing in the sandbox in the back yard, oblivious to all around them.
When Jesus was 12 years old, he went to Jerusalem with Joseph and Mary to celebrate the Passover. The Torah had instructed that the Passover Sacrifice be performed only at the Temple, unlike the First Passover in Egypt when everyone sacrificed their own Lamb, one per family. This made the Temple EXTREMELY important to the Jewish People, and, however long it took to get there, one HAD to go, even if on FOOT.
If indeed, one was going on foot, it was best for the whole village to go together, as a caravan, with the men in one group and the women and children in the other. Since Jesus was approaching maturity as he was almost 13...Bar Mitzvah age in Modern Judaism...it was not negligent to assume that Jesus was returning with the MEN, or for Joseph to assume that Jesus was still with the Children. It must have been a shock when the caravan came to its first rest stop and mingled. I can jut see the scene:
"I thought He was with YOU!" said Joseph.
"I thought He was with YOU!" said Mary.
The fact is, that Jesus had indeed arisen to maturity on this particular Passover trip. There he was, debating, discussing, and questioning the Great Sages of the Temple, who were astonished at the Boy's wisdom. He was not being "fresh" to His parents, but seemed genuinely astonished that they did not understand His Mission. Nevertheless, He went home with the Family and subjected Himself to their authority until the Time had come.
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
God Bless America!
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS
