“And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the Temple.” Luke 2:43-46
Scripture tells us that Joseph and Mary went a day’s journey” without Jesus. They were separated from Him, did not see Him, and yet pushed on a whole day’s journey. It is what many are doing today. They lose Christ and go on their way; this is a severe mistake. The thing to do when we miss the Saviour is to stop everything until we find Him. After Joseph and Mary spent time looking for Jesus amongst those in the caravan, they realized what they had to do, “they turned back again seeking Him.” They went back to where they left Him. There is nothing else to do if we want to find Christ. If we go away from Him, we must return to Him.
TIPS to keep us from losing Jesus.
First, keep your eyes fixed steadily upon Him. Suppose Joseph and Mary had done this, then the separation which cost them such worry and pain would never have occurred. The thing to do is to allow no object to come between you and Christ. Keep your eyes on Jesus, not occasionally, but attentively and continually. It can be done, thank God, in the busiest life.
Second, keep talking to Jesus. How are we going to lose Him if we remain in unbroken communion with Him? When we sense a silence in our soul, an uneasiness, this is a reason for alarm, and we should at once re-establish our divine connection.
Third, get Christ as an indweller. Many of God’s people know him as a visitor, as one who comes and goes, visiting the heart and then leaving it. In these conscious absences, so much spiritual hurt occurs, and Satan gets in his work. This experience is spoken about in John 14, where Jesus says if we love Him and keep His commandments, He will come unto us and take up His abode with us. In a word, He will cease to be a visitor and become an indweller.
Finally, keep claiming “the blood.” If the slightest shadow and spiritual trouble arises, if there has been any word spoken or act done that brings a feeling of unrest, then claim the blood that cleanses. There is such a thing as staying under the blood all the time. The person who claims the blood will hardly lose Christ.
Many thousands have lived the Christian life; more live it today, and countless millions have yet do so. Pray that we who have Christ today will never lose Him. It would be better to lose friends, the whole world, and life itself than give up Jesus. May we hold on to Him at every cost, and by doing so will be victorious both in this world and the world to come.