Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was just and godly. He was waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
Luke 2: 25-26 (NIV)
We do not know much about Simeon, but what we do know about him is impressive. The Bible tells us that he was righteous, devout, and that the Holy Spirit was upon him. That in itself is an amazing description, but in my opinion, Simeon's best quality was his faith in God's promises. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and God had promised him that he would not die before seeing his Messiah. What an amazing promise!
Israel had been waiting centuries to see its King, and this devout man knew that he would see him before his death. We do not know how long he waited for the fulfillment of his promise, but we can learn a few things from Simeon regarding how to wait for our own promises. To begin with, Simeon stayed in Jerusalem, the city where he knew the Messiah would come. He also acted quickly at the prompting of the Holy Spirit who told him to go to the temple’s courtyard that day. Lastly, and this was crucial, he did not miss seeing Jesus looking for a rich king surrounded by guards. He saw the greatest miracle humanity has ever experienced in the arms of a humble young couple.
Simeon could have missed the opportunity to meet the Lord of Lords for something as simple as taking too long to follow God's leading that day. I wonder if we have ever missed some of God's promises by moving too fast or too slow on His instructions. Also, in my walk with Christ, I have met some people who got tired of waiting for God's promises for them. Sadly, due to their dissolution, some of them stopped serving God altogether.
Children of God, today I felt the need to remind you that God's promises to us are always conditional. No matter what God has promised you, I guarantee you that there are steps you must take in order to obtain that promise. Please do not miss your blessing. Stay where God has you. Go where God has sent you, and keep believing that what God said is true. Do not lose your blessings because they do not look like what you expected.
I am sure there were “better-off” couples presenting their babies in the temple the day that Mary and Joseph brought Jesus. Simeon did not lose his promise because he was not looking for someone who "looked" like a king. He allowed God to guide him to the Messiah. I hope none of us lose our promises by not moving in God's timing, by despairing, or because God's blessings do not look the way, we expected them. Stand firm, Son of God. Hold on to the hope you profess, because faithful is the one who made those promises to you.
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