Mary and Joseph, understandably, felt great alarm when their 12-year-old son Jesus was missing. But when they found him, he didn’t seem afraid, but was very much at home in the Temple. Though he continued to respect and honor his earthly parents (cf. Luke 2:51), he called the Temple “my Father’s house,” and said it was “necessary” for him to be there.

As far as we know, Jesus had not been in Jerusalem since he was an infant. Yet he said it was “necessary” for him to be in the Temple, which he called his Father’s house. What are the times or circumstances that most often cause your soul to yearn the most eagerly to be in God’s presence in praise and prayer?

At Resurrection, our first membership expectation is that you will be in worship every week, unless you are ill or out of town. (You can take part even at those times through the streamed worship services available at www.rezonline.org.) In what ways has making a commitment to worship had a positive impact on your spiritual growth?