Transitions and Liminal Spaces
Dec 28
/
Alaine Thomson Buchanan
It’s
Monday, December 30, 2024. We are halfway through Christmastide, New Year’s Day
is a few days away, and Epiphany is one week from today. Christmas Day is past,
and Lent and Easter will soon be here. Transition surrounds us in a
multiplicity of ways, which means it’s likely many of us are in the midst of
liminal spaces, spaces where what once “was” is no longer, and what is “yet to
be” is still to come.
Scripture provides several examples of people going through liminal/transitional spaces. Jesus is no exception to this. The Gospel of Luke begins with the birth narratives of John the Baptist and Jesus in Luke 1 and the beginning of Luke 2. This is followed by a liminal space when Jesus visits the Temple at 12 years of age in Luke 2:41-52, which serves as a transition between Jesus’ infancy and adulthood. Luke 3 moves into John the Baptist and Jesus in their adult years.
According to Luke 2:41-52, the caravan Jesus and his family came with from Nazareth to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover was on their way back home. The only problem is that Jesus chose to stay in Jerusalem and did not tell his parents he was doing this. Mary and Joseph had no idea Jesus had done this, as they assumed he, as a 12-year-old young man, was somewhere in their caravan of people. That evening, though, they were horrified to discover Jesus was not there. The distress and agony were very real. The next day, Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem and found Jesus engaging and interacting with religious leaders in the Temple.
At this point in the story, three questions are asked, which normalize question asking amid liminal spaces.
In Luke 2:48, Mary asks, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”[1] Jesus was supposed to be with the caravan, heading back to Nazareth, yet he was not. Mary and Joseph were distressed to the point of agony because Jesus was not where they thought he should be, and he was acting out of character from their perspective.
Have you been there before? Have you ever been in a space where it seems like God isn’t where God is supposed to be, doing what God is supposed to do? Mary and Joseph understand this very well.
In verse 49, Jesus asks, “Why were you looking for me?” This question indicates intense searching, which is more than looking. Have you ever sensed God asking you this question? The obvious answer in this situation is that Jesus was not where Mary and Joseph thought he should be, yet I wonder if there is a deeper answer here.
Why were you searching for me?
Sometimes, that answer is too deep for words to express. Sometimes, our bodies, hearts, and souls carry that answer, yet we may not know how to verbalize it…or there just aren’t any words that could come close to answering this question. Sometimes, the answer comes through tears, groaning, silence, or some other physical expression. This question is an invitation to “be” with God long enough to pour our hearts out to God, to tell God exactly what we think and how we feel, even if the words cannot or do not reach our lips.
Continuing in Luke 2:49, Jesus asks, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” At 12 years of age, Jesus knew and understood he needed quality time in his Father’s space, learning from and interacting with religious leaders, spending time at the physical place where people came to meet with God the Father, and taking it all in.
Part of me wonders if Jesus knew he would return to this space later in life for a different reason, that religious leaders would reject him and accuse him of blasphemy, that Judas would betray him here….that all of this would change his life…and the world through his ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension.
Luke 2:50 relays that Joseph and Mary did not understand the meaning of Jesus's words. How many of us have been there before? We don’t know where God is…and then, when we connect with God, the answers don’t make sense at all. When we find ourselves in this space, Mary gives us a good idea of how to respond in Luke 2:51: She treasures all these things in her heart in hopes that at a later time, she will have an understanding of some sort.
In conclusion, we, too, are in the midst of a transition from the end of 2024 to the beginning of 2025. Some of us are in the midst of other liminal spaces, whether mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, relational, social, geographical or something else.
Here is what Luke 2:41-52 lets us know about liminal spaces:
1) It’s okay to ask God questions.
2) It’s okay to not understand.
3) It’s okay to hold all that is happening in your heart.
You just might look back at this season of life later and come to a greater realization of how deeply and intricately God was at work. May your 2025 be filled with peace, hope, and the assurance God is with you.
[1]All passages are taken from the English Standard Version.
Scripture provides several examples of people going through liminal/transitional spaces. Jesus is no exception to this. The Gospel of Luke begins with the birth narratives of John the Baptist and Jesus in Luke 1 and the beginning of Luke 2. This is followed by a liminal space when Jesus visits the Temple at 12 years of age in Luke 2:41-52, which serves as a transition between Jesus’ infancy and adulthood. Luke 3 moves into John the Baptist and Jesus in their adult years.
According to Luke 2:41-52, the caravan Jesus and his family came with from Nazareth to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover was on their way back home. The only problem is that Jesus chose to stay in Jerusalem and did not tell his parents he was doing this. Mary and Joseph had no idea Jesus had done this, as they assumed he, as a 12-year-old young man, was somewhere in their caravan of people. That evening, though, they were horrified to discover Jesus was not there. The distress and agony were very real. The next day, Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem and found Jesus engaging and interacting with religious leaders in the Temple.
At this point in the story, three questions are asked, which normalize question asking amid liminal spaces.
In Luke 2:48, Mary asks, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”[1] Jesus was supposed to be with the caravan, heading back to Nazareth, yet he was not. Mary and Joseph were distressed to the point of agony because Jesus was not where they thought he should be, and he was acting out of character from their perspective.
Have you been there before? Have you ever been in a space where it seems like God isn’t where God is supposed to be, doing what God is supposed to do? Mary and Joseph understand this very well.
In verse 49, Jesus asks, “Why were you looking for me?” This question indicates intense searching, which is more than looking. Have you ever sensed God asking you this question? The obvious answer in this situation is that Jesus was not where Mary and Joseph thought he should be, yet I wonder if there is a deeper answer here.
Why were you searching for me?
Sometimes, that answer is too deep for words to express. Sometimes, our bodies, hearts, and souls carry that answer, yet we may not know how to verbalize it…or there just aren’t any words that could come close to answering this question. Sometimes, the answer comes through tears, groaning, silence, or some other physical expression. This question is an invitation to “be” with God long enough to pour our hearts out to God, to tell God exactly what we think and how we feel, even if the words cannot or do not reach our lips.
Continuing in Luke 2:49, Jesus asks, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” At 12 years of age, Jesus knew and understood he needed quality time in his Father’s space, learning from and interacting with religious leaders, spending time at the physical place where people came to meet with God the Father, and taking it all in.
Part of me wonders if Jesus knew he would return to this space later in life for a different reason, that religious leaders would reject him and accuse him of blasphemy, that Judas would betray him here….that all of this would change his life…and the world through his ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension.
Luke 2:50 relays that Joseph and Mary did not understand the meaning of Jesus's words. How many of us have been there before? We don’t know where God is…and then, when we connect with God, the answers don’t make sense at all. When we find ourselves in this space, Mary gives us a good idea of how to respond in Luke 2:51: She treasures all these things in her heart in hopes that at a later time, she will have an understanding of some sort.
In conclusion, we, too, are in the midst of a transition from the end of 2024 to the beginning of 2025. Some of us are in the midst of other liminal spaces, whether mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, relational, social, geographical or something else.
Here is what Luke 2:41-52 lets us know about liminal spaces:
1) It’s okay to ask God questions.
2) It’s okay to not understand.
3) It’s okay to hold all that is happening in your heart.
You just might look back at this season of life later and come to a greater realization of how deeply and intricately God was at work. May your 2025 be filled with peace, hope, and the assurance God is with you.
[1]All passages are taken from the English Standard Version.
Alaine Buchanan
Alaine Buchanan is an ordained minister, spiritual director, an active duty Army chaplain's spouse and a mom. She holds a PhD in Second Temple Literature and History and also teaches Biblical Studies (including history, theology and world religions) at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Alaine is the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies and Dean of Digital Education at North Central University in Minneapolis, MN. She has received certification in trauma care through the Allender Center and in Spiritual Direction through the Companioning Center.
In spiritual direction, Alaine loves to walk alongside those who are journeying through liminal spaces. She specializes in discernment, integration healing, focusing, spiritual formation practices and group spiritual direction.
She is a fan of tea, chocolate, and all the Seattle sports teams. She can be found on Facebook, Instagram and LInkedin.
Alaine Buchanan is an ordained minister, spiritual director, an active duty Army chaplain's spouse and a mom. She holds a PhD in Second Temple Literature and History and also teaches Biblical Studies (including history, theology and world religions) at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Alaine is the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies and Dean of Digital Education at North Central University in Minneapolis, MN. She has received certification in trauma care through the Allender Center and in Spiritual Direction through the Companioning Center.
In spiritual direction, Alaine loves to walk alongside those who are journeying through liminal spaces. She specializes in discernment, integration healing, focusing, spiritual formation practices and group spiritual direction.
She is a fan of tea, chocolate, and all the Seattle sports teams. She can be found on Facebook, Instagram and LInkedin.
