In God's Hands

🌟 Growing Up with Jesus: A Gentle Look at His Early Life and God’s Loving Presence

Before Jesus preached to crowds or performed miracles, he lived a quiet, humble life, full of learning, growing, and love. The Bible offers glimpses into his childhood and young adulthood, and while many details remain a mystery, what we do know is deeply meaningful. This post gently walks through Jesus’ early years, showing how God was lovingly intertwined with every step of his journey.

👶 Born in Bethlehem: God With Us

Jesus’ birth wasn’t just the arrival of a baby; it was the arrival of Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” Born in a stable, wrapped in cloth, and laid in a manger, Jesus came not in royal robes but in humility. Yet even in that quiet place, heaven rejoiced.

Reflection Prompt: What does it mean that God chose to come close to us?

Activity Idea: Create a nativity scene with paper cutouts or coloring pages. Invite kids to draw what love looks like in small, quiet places.

🌠 The Wise Men’s Visit: God’s Light Leads the Way

Wise men followed a star placed by God to find Jesus. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, honoring him as king, priest, and savior. God guided them, just as He guides us when we seek truth.

Reflection Prompt: How does God guide us today? What “stars” help us find our way?

Activity Idea: Match each gift to its meaning. Then, make a “heart gift” card where kids write or draw something kind they can give to someone else.

✈️ Fleeing to Egypt: God Protects

When King Herod wanted to harm Jesus, God sent a message to Joseph in a dream: “Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.” God’s protection was quiet but powerful, keeping Jesus safe so that He could grow and fulfill His purpose.

Reflection Prompt: How does God protect us, even when we don’t see it?

Activity Idea: Trace the journey from Bethlehem to Egypt on a simple map. Talk about what it means to trust God even when things feel uncertain.

🛠️ Life in Nazareth: God in Everyday Moments

Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a small village where he helped Joseph in the carpentry shop and learned the Scriptures. Though he was God’s Son, he lived an everyday life, showing us that God is present in everyday work, learning, and love.

Reflection Prompt: Where do you see God in your daily life?

Activity Idea: Build something together, such as blocks, paper crafts, or even a gratitude jar. Talk about how Jesus used his hands to help others and how we can, too.

🕍 Age 12 in the Temple: God’s Wisdom Shines

At age 12, Jesus stayed behind in the Temple, talking with teachers and amazing them with his understanding. When Mary and Joseph found him, he said, “Didn’t you know I must be about my Father’s business?” Even as a child, Jesus knew his life was deeply connected to God’s purpose.

Reflection Prompt: What does it mean to listen to God’s voice in your heart?

Activity Idea: Create a “wisdom scroll” where kids write or draw something they’ve learned that helps them grow in kindness or courage.

🌱 The Quiet Years: God’s Grace in Growing

From the age of 12 to 30, the Bible remains mostly silent. These are often referred to as the “hidden years.” But Luke 2:52 gives us a beautiful summary:
“Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

God was with him in the quiet, shaping his heart, mind, and spirit. These years remind us that growth takes time and that God is always working, even when we don’t see it.

Reflection Prompt: How do you grow in wisdom, kindness, and strength with God’s help?

Activity Idea: Make a “growth chart” with three sections: body, heart, and spirit. Kids can track their growth in each area with drawings, stickers, or journal entries.

💛 Why This Matters

Jesus didn’t rush into preaching. He spent years learning, listening, and loving quietly. His early life reminds us that every moment matters, even the ones that feel small or slow. And through it all, God was there, guiding, protecting, and preparing.

Family Challenge: Choose one moment from Jesus’ early life and live it out this week. Perhaps it’s helping with chores, as Jesus did in Nazareth, or giving a heart gift, like the wise men. Celebrate the quiet ways we grow closer to God and to one another.

Here’s a list of powerful and meaningful Bible verses about Jesus:

✨ Who Jesus Is

• John 1:1–2 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
• Colossians 1:15–17 – “He is the image of the invisible God… all things were created through Him and for Him.”
• Hebrews 1:3 – “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.”
• Matthew 16:15–16 – “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

💛 God’s Love Through Jesus

• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…”
• Romans 5:8 – “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
• 1 John 4:9 – “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world…”

🕊️ Jesus’ Mission and Ministry

• Luke 4:18 – “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind…”
• Mark 10:45 – “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life…”
• John 14:6 – “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

🌿 Jesus’ Death and Resurrection

• Isaiah 53:5 – “He was pierced for our transgressions… by His wounds we are healed.”
• Romans 6:9 – “Christ was raised from the dead… death no longer has mastery over Him.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 – “Christ died for our sins… He was buried… He was raised on the third day…”

🌟 Jesus Today and Forever

• Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
• Matthew 28:20 – “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
• Revelation 1:8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega… who is, and who was, and who is to come.”