"***** Christ brought His desires and wishes into strict abeyance to His mission,—the mission that bore the insignia of Heaven. He made everything subordinate to the work that He came to this world to accomplish. When in His youth His mother found Him in the school of the rabbis, and said to Him, “Son, why hast Thou thus dealt with us? behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing,” He answered,—and His answer is the key-note of His life-work,—“How is it that ye sought Me? wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?” [ Luke 2:48, 49 .] GW 111.2"
"And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?"
EGW directly quotes Luke 2:49 and uses it as a central theme for Christ's life and ministry.
"The same devotion, the same consecration, the same subjection to the claims of the word of God, that were manifest in Christ, must be seen in His servants. He left His home of security and peace, left the glory that He had with the Father before the world was, left His position upon the throne of the universe, and went forth, a suffering, tempted man; went forth in solitude, to sow in tears, to water with His blood the seed of life for a lost world. GW 111.3"
"But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"
The EGW passage echoes the concept of Christ's self-emptying and sacrifice described in Philippians 2:7. It amplifies the idea of leaving behind glory and status to serve humanity.