Jesus grows up

It doesn't seem to be a coincidence that I have embarked on a study of the first eight chapters of Luke around my children's birthday. (Twins. Boy and girl.)
As I read about Jesus growing up, they celebrate 25 years. Both are amazing young adults, fiercely committed to him and doing what he wants. This has meant, for my son, taking on jobs that have, at times, barely paid a  minimum wage so that he can stay in the city God has called him to, serving the church in his spare time. For my daughter, this was two years on a volunteer's allowance and a move to the other side of the world - to serve the poorest in society and help them get out of crippling debt.
I am so thankful for the way they have grown in wisdom and stature and in the grace of God.
Like Jesus!  (In, of course, a human-less-than-perfect-way.)
Look:
1 Samuel 2:26 And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favour with the Lord and with men. (The Message says "the boy Samuel was very much alive, growing up, blessed by God and popular with the people."

Luke 1:80 And the child (John the Baptist) grew and became strong in spirit

Luke 2:40 And the child (Jesus) grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Luke 2:52  And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

Jesus, of course, is our example. I find it fascinating that the words of Luke 2:52 echo those in Samuel. Samuel, the longed-for-prayed-heartrendingly-for firstborn and only son of Peninah had been given up to God for His service. Relinquished into God's hands. I can only marvel at Peninah's actions - but that's for another time.

I just ponder that God has told us this about Jesus. As Jesus is our model, so we too can pray that our children - our own sons and daughters, grandchildren, spiritual and actual - grow up to be just like him.

Graduation and divine appointments

I am often bemused and amused by the 'coincidences' God brings to my life.  Some folk call them 'Godincidences' - I'm not sure, always, that they are that important except that in God's scheme of things EVERYTHING is.  Still...I take note and keep an open heart. Who knows where, or to what, or to whom, I might be led?

J and C's graduation was one such occasion.  Sitting in a restaurant in Norwich, we had been there only a few minutes when a girl approached us.  "Excuse me," she said with a smile on her lovely face, "are you by any chance Cat Pollard's parents, Richard and Angie?"  I was almost too stunned to reply. Were we so like Cat - or she like us - that a random stranger had recognised us?  But no - it was Cat's prayer partner and closest friend Gillian, who had also arrived for graduation the next day. How lovely to meet her.

Then there was the next 'coincidence'.  When J and C first arrived at UEA, we went to visit. Going to church on the Sunday, we met a lad who had also done a gap year - at a Christian outdoor education centre in Scotland run by a relative of my closest friend here in Guernsey. Josh ended up becoming Jonny's prayer partner and shared a house with him for two years.  He also studied in the School of Environmental Science, albeit different subjects from Cat.  So, there he was in her graduating class. And there were his parents - who we did not know, but easily recognised as they eagerly took photos of him - sitting in the row behind us. We wasted no time afterwards in saying hello, discovering more 'mutality' - knowledge and experiences in common, not least in the type of churches we were all attending.  (This may sound obvious - but both sets of parents are now taking part in churches which would not be a natural, or even comfortable, choice.  But that's another story.)

Divine appointments. Godincidences. I don't know.  It just left me with a wonderful feeling of being part of Jesus' family.  And why have I written all this?  Because, even though in many ways they feel like 'one-offs', they are important. Somehow.  And I don't want to forget...