Trust and Faith

             As we approach the Christmas season and the celebration of the birth of our Savior, our thoughts are drawn to Mary and Joseph and the shepherds.  We often forget that others played a part in the revelation of the Messiah, God’s gift of salvation for the world.

            One of those people was a man named Simeon.  The Scripture describes him as “righteous and devout” (Luke 2:25).  The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die before he witnessed the Messiah.  Why was he chosen for this special blessing?  We don’t know the answer, but we do know that it was the Holy Spirit who brought him to the temple that day (Luke 2: 27).

            We don’t know what he expected to see when he arrived at the Temple, but we do know that he immediately recognized baby Jesus as the Messiah, and he knew that Jesus would be the Savior of the world, including the Gentiles (Luke 2: 29 – 30).  How did he know? Only through the revelation of the Holy Spirit.  He did not know Mary and Joseph’s miraculous story.  There was no mark or sign identifying the baby as the Messiah.  It was only through the work of the Holy Spirit that Simeon was given that special insight.

            So, what can we learn from Simeon?  Trust and faithfulness.  Simeon had been told that he would not die “before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2: 27b NIV84).  Simeon trusted that God would keep that promise.  Once he saw the Christ child, he told God that he was ready to go; the promise had been fulfilled (Luke 2: 29).

We have seen the promises of God fulfilled over and over throughout history.  Yet, so we live expectantly?  Do we live each day thinking that this could be the day when Christ returns?  May we all trust God’s faithfulness just as Simeon did.

Simeon was also faithful.  He was a devout and righteous man.  We don’t know how old he was but the implication is that he was old.  Still, there is no indication that he had grown impatient or had begun to doubt.  When the Holy Spirit directed him to the Temple that day, he didn’t know why, but he went.  We don’t always know why God does the things he does or why He asks us to do certain things, but He does expect us to be faithful, just as Simeon was.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may we trust that God’s plan is still in motion and in His timing, it will be brought to fruition.  Until then, may we be faithful!

Luke 2: 25 – 35

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