Praising God for His Promise
And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ”Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.“ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ”Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:27–35 Read More
Simeon is prophesying here but in a funny way. Just like in the Psalms, there are different ways to pray. The shepherds told people what had happened to them. They testified to the things they heard the angel say and the things that they saw. Mary and Joseph had visions and dreams and Mary had her prayer with Elizabeth that was a prophecy/prayer of sorts.
Now Simeon had the vision or the word from God years ago. He knew he wouldn’t die until he saw the salvation of the Lord. You have to wonder if he even knew how he would see such a thing. Would it be a revolution? The end of the world? When he was led by the Spirit into the temple that day, who knows what he expected. Like Samuel seeing David, when Simeon saw Jesus being carried along by His parents, he knew he was looking at God’s Chosen One.
One time I was sitting at Taco Bell on a lunch break reading my Bible. After I left, I ran a short errand and was walking to my car. A lady pulled over and shouted “Sir, I’m going to go home and read my Bible. I saw you reading your Bible at Taco Bell and I thought ‘If that guy has time to read his Bible while he’s eating his lunch, I can read mine when I’m sitting around at home.’ Thank you!” I wasn’t out for some evangelistic lunch. I was having some time between myself and the Lord. When we ourselves spend time with the Lord, other people will notice.
When Simeon spent time with the Lord, he gained knowledge and insight that no one else could have. He knew things that only the boy’s parents knew, but as he worshipped the Lord for being true to His word, the parents grew in their faith. Simeon wasn’t there to encourage Joseph and Mary. He wasn’t even there to prophecy and predict the future. He was there to worship the Lord as the Lord had directed him, and everything else came along with it.
What if I told you that there is something that you can do that is guaranteed to increase your wisdom and might even give you insight into your own life? In this season of “you aren’t good enough the way you are so start doing something different on January 1st” resolve to spend time reading the Bible and praying every day in 2018. (Note: God loves you a ton and won’t love you more or less if you read your Bible, but you’ll know Him better and align yourself with Him more if you do!)
Share a great Bible reading or verse from 2017 with a friend. Praise God for what He has done and how He is helping His servant (you!) end the year with His peace.
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