*This is Week 4 of a 5-part Advent Devotional Series. View our Advent page here.
Week 3 - Week 5
The Waiting is Over - Luke 2:22-38
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel...”
CHRISTMAS!!! It seems like we’ve been waiting forever, but 365 days between Christmases is very short compared to Simeon’s wait. Simeon faithfully waited his whole life for Jesus, and because he had the Holy Spirit, Simeon recognized many truths when he saw baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph.
First, Simeon received peace. God had been silent for over 400 years. The last time God spoke to Israel, Simeon’s great, great, great, great, great grandparents were alive. It would’ve been easy for Simeon to forget or disregard God’s promises like Isaiah 9:6-7, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” But Simeon trusted God’s promises. He was righteous, devout, and faithfully waited. When he saw Jesus, he knew the waiting was over; and he knew that he and Israel had peace with God.
Second, Simeon saw salvation. He knew that he and Israel were separated from God because of their sin. What if you could never be with the people you love? Simeon held Jesus and blessed him because Simeon knew that Jesus would make a way for us to be with God.
Finally, Simeon saw a light, not only for Israel but a light for you and me, a light for Gentiles. It’s incredible that Simeon recognized that Jesus would save Israel and people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. How does light help you? Isaiah tells us that we all walked in darkness, and Jesus is a great light (Isaiah 9). Because of Jesus, we can see God’s perfect way.
We have Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and we have all of God’s counsel in the Bible. But we wait too. Not just for Christmas, we wait for Jesus’s return. We wait for a time when the whole earth will be redeemed and there will be no more sin and death. I encourage you to be faithful like Simeon. Trust Jesus and love him by obeying his word while you wait. “Come, Lord Jesus!”
-Rob Wright
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come, thou long expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free
From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in thee
Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth thou art
Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart
Born thy people to deliver, Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever, Now thy gracious kingdom bring
By thine own eternal spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone
By thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to thy glorious throne
Text: Charles Wesley, 1744
Tune: HYFRYDOL 8.7.8.7.D., Rowland Hugh Pritchard, 1855