Simeon

This morning in church, the pastor called up one of the oldest men in the congregation, he is 84.  When he got to the stage she put a baby doll in his arms and read this…

Luke 2:25-32
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
You may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation, 
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, 
and the glory of your people Israel.”

Can you even imagine?  He has been literally waiting for the Lord’s Messiah.  And when they put this baby in his arms, he knew, this was the One.  And at the moment He was ready to go home to be with the Lord knowing that His eyes had seen the One who would be the redemption of the world.  Wow.  What a moment.

I love that at this moment, far before Paul took the Gospel to the Gentiles, far before the Gospel went any further than the Israelites, Simeon knew.  And He said it about this little baby.  He would be the light of revelation for all people. 

Imagine looking into the sweet face of a baby, or maybe the crying, drooling, hiccupping face of a baby… but knowing beyond a doubt that this baby IS redemption for the people of God.

What a wonder.  What a great day.  And what a great reminder for this Christmas season.