11 AUGUST
Daily Bible Reading: Luke 2:21-52, Psalms 81-83

FAMILY BUSINESS

The journey to Jerusalem revealed something very important for Joseph and Mary. Maybe for so long they prepared Jesus to do the business of His parents which was carpenter. But then they realized something. The Bible wrote: And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them Luk.2:49-50.

Young Jesus loved to dwell in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening and asking them questions Luk.2:46. He called it as His Father’s business! Jesus is the Son of God and He loved to do what His heavenly Father always do. Later Jesus explained: “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working Jn.5:17.” However, young Jesus went down with His parents and came to Nazareth and was subject to them as His parents Luk.2:51 so people knew Jesus also as the carpenter just like Joseph Mrk.6:3.

Believers must remember that now we have both biological family and also spiritual family. We must be responsible doing those both family businesses. Believers are called as the children of God with a reason Jn.1:12 so that we could work the works of God just like what Jesus did Jn.9:4. We must not ignore the business of our heavenly Father. What is His business? Jesus explained: “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day Jn.6:40.” Let’s extend that message of salvation in the name of Jesus to everyone, because that is the business of our Father in heaven.

BISNIS KELUARGA

Perjalanan ke Yerusalem mengungkapkan suatu hal yang sangat penting bagi Yusuf dan Maria. Mungkin sekian lamanya mereka mempersiapkan Yesus untuk mengerjakan urusan orang tua-Nya yaitu tukang kayu. Namun kemudian mereka menyadari sesuatu. Alkitab menulis: Jawab-Nya kepada mereka: “Mengapa kamu mencari Aku? Tidakkah kamu tahu, bahwa Aku harus berada di dalam rumah Bapa-Ku?” Tetapi mereka tidak mengerti apa yang dikatakan-Nya kepada mereka Luk.2:49-50.

Pemuda Yesus senang tinggal di Bait Allah, duduk di tengah-tengah para guru, mendengarkan dan mengajukan pertanyaan-pertanyaan pada mereka Luk.2:46. Dia menyebut hal itu sebagai urusan Bapa-Nya! Yesus adalah Putra Allah dan Dia senang melakukan apa yang selalu dilakukan Bapa-Nya di surga. Di kemudian hari Yesus menjelaskan: “Tetapi Ia berkata kepada mereka: Bapa-Ku bekerja sampai sekarang, maka Akupun bekerja juga Yoh.5:17.” Namun demikian, pemuda Yesus pulang bersama orang tua-Nya ke Nazaret dan tunduk pada mereka sebagai orang tua-Nya Luk.2:51 sehingga orang mengenal Yesus juga sebagai tukang kayu seperti Yusuf Mrk.6:3.

Orang percaya harus ingat bahwa sekarang kita memiliki keluarga biologis dan juga keluarga rohani. Kita harus bertanggung jawab untuk melakukan urusan bisnis kedua keluarga tersebut. Orang percaya disebut sebagai anak-anak Allah dengan suatu alasan Yoh.1:12 sehingga kita dapat mengerjakan pekerjaan Allah seperti yang dilakukan Yesus Yoh.9:4. Kita tidak boleh mengabaikan bisnis Bapa surgawi kita. Apakah bisnis-Nya? Yesus menjelaskan: “Sebab inilah kehendak Bapa-Ku, yaitu supaya setiap orang, yang melihat Anak dan yang percaya kepada-Nya beroleh hidup yang kekal, dan supaya Aku membangkitkannya pada akhir zaman Yoh.6:40.” Marilah kita melanjutkan pesan keselamatan di dalam nama Yesus pada semua orang, karena itulah bisnis Bapa kita di surga.