I hope your Advent and Christmas were as spiritually rich as mine. Every story I read contained signs, dreams, angels or stars, and characters who challenged me with their belief in these things and their trust in God. So many people who were willing to say, "Yes" to the call of God asking them to do things and who were excited by the promises given to them.
And now we have Simeon, in the temple in Jerusalem:
Model of the Temple in 66 AD, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Luke 2. 21-40 (MSG, excerpts)
When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived.
Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law…
In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died.
Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:
God, you can now release your servant;
release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
and of glory for your people Israel.
Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,
This child marks both the failure and
the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
as God reveals who they really are.
When they finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth. There the child grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him.
This passage doesn’t say how old Simeon is, but we do know that The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. Most people assume that Simeon is elderly. If so, we know that he may be facing one of the biggest challenges of his life - old age and death.
When he sees the baby Jesus, he says, God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. Do you notice the word "peace"?
He continues with a blessing and some challenging words for Mary.
This child marks both the failure and
the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
as God reveals who they really are.
Can you imagine how Mary and Joseph must have felt at Simeon's words? Joy and great challenge both at the same time, perhaps?
What challenges are you facing in 2025? Are you ready to say, “Yes” to them? In peace? Joy? If not, that’s OK. Know that God loves you, and you can ask Him to help you with this.
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