I Must
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? ~Luke 2:49
The word "must" is a very strong verb. It is a word that indicates an imperative action. It is a call to perform a duty. It is a mandate requiring compliance and fulfillment. It is a word associated with a priority. The Lord Jesus lived by priority. There was no wasted time, wasted opportunities, or wasted events with Jesus. Would you consider with me three aspects that are vital to priority?
There is the will in priority.
“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” At the age of twelve, the Lord Jesus knew that He was on earth to do the Father’s will. He said, "I must be about my Father’s business." God’s will is God’s directive for our life. It is God’s best for us. It is doing the thing that will outlast you and me. It is maximizing the fulfillment that we bring into the lives of other people. It is living to bring other people to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. It is sending ahead for eternity. It is a life that is completely satisfied in doing what glorifies God. Priority is being centered in God’s perfect will for your life.
There is the wisdom in priority.
In Luke 4:43 Jesus said, “And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.” Priority demands that we see the big picture. Seeing the big picture is seeing the world as God does. The world is a place of people dying and going to Hell. It is a place where over 2/3 of the world has yet to hear the gospel message the first time! Wisdom is realizing that you must let God use your life where you will bring Him the greatest return. Jesus did not have a small and limited view of what His priority was. There were other cities besides Capernaum where He needed to preach in. Don’t allow your limited preferences to prevent you from seeing that opportunities for reaching the world are bigger than just one city. God will use you where you are willing to go for Him! Priority is not limiting your opportunities or limiting God.
There is the window in priority.
In John 9:4 Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” Think of the urgency behind what Jesus said. The night cometh when no man can work. A few years ago, Donald Trump was elected to be the 45th President of the United States. The first thing I told my wife and a few close friends is that God has graciously given us a space of grace. God gave us a minimum of four more years to preach the gospel and send forth laborers. Who knows what would have happened under Hillary Clinton? One thing is for sure: under her leadership, our gospel opportunities would have been surely threatened. We have a window of opportunity. The night is coming and when it does, no man can work. Work will stop. Opportunities will be gone. The window has closed. Priority demands that we do what we can while it is day.
Are you living with a high sense of your priorities? Jesus prefaced his priority by “I must.” Do you have a grip on what it is that you must do?
Have a prioritized God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Acts 14-15