Don’t Miss Jesus
When we think about the first Christmas we tend to reflect on the central characters – Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men. And we should. God can teach us so much through His work in their lives.
But there are other people in the Christmas story that don’t get much attention. We can learn from them too. For instance, consider Simeon. We meet him at the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was 40 days old when Mary had to offer a sacrifice for purification.
The Bible describes Simeon as a “righteous and devout” man who was “waiting for the consolation of Israel.” I love this phrase! Simeon knew God’s promise of a Savior and he was actively waiting and watching.
We also read in Luke 2 that the Holy Spirit was very active in Simeon’s life (Luke 2:25). In fact, the Spirit had revealed to him that he would see the Messiah before he died. Sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s presence, Simeon followed His leading and arrived at the temple at the very time Jesus was there with His parents.
The Spirit also pointed Jesus out to Simeon and revealed that this child was the One for whom he’d been waiting! Taking Jesus in his arms, Simeon lifted his voice in praise:
“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.”Luke 2:29-32, NIV
Simeon had been living for this moment. Waiting until he met the Christ face to face. This was the climax of his life. And he would have missed it if he hadn’t been sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Imagine. Had Simeon brushed off the Holy Spirit’s nudge Jesus would have come and gone and Simeon would have continued to wait. But because Simeon submitted himself to the Holy Spirit, he received a great blessing.
What do we miss because we fail to yield ourselves fully to the Spirit? Do we miss an incredible blessing or an opportunity to share the Gospel?
How can we be more sensitive today to the guidance of the Spirit in our lives?
Bless you.
I really try to have an open heart to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. I know that I have missed opportunities in the past, but I want to follow His lead and don’t miss sharing Jesus.