Christmas 2018 – Day 22

As part of my 25 for 25 (25 devotionals leading up to 25 December), here is Day # 22: We’ve talked about Mary and Joseph the last two days. Now we’re going to talk about Simeon.

Our family was sitting around the table eating breakfast reading Isaiah 9:6 and my daughter started talking about something she learned at Awanas. She was excited to talk about Simeon from Luke 2:25-35. I was surprised that my wife said she wasn’t familiar with the story. But the more I thought about it, I realized he and Anna (Luke 2:36-38) aren’t talked about a whole lot. So today we’re going to talk about Simeon a bit. Simeon “was just and devout,”

“And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (v. 26).

And God followed through. As Simeon held Immanuel, “God with us,” he said:

“A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel” (v. 32).

Did you catch the inclusion of the Gentiles?! Prior to this, Israel was looking for their salvation, but now the whole world was included. This is what caused Mary to marvel (v. 33). Also see Acts 22:21-22.

If God set up prophecies of Jesus birth and then set up prophetic words thru Simeon and Anna, it makes me wonder how many other miracles and wonderful works surrounded Jesus’ birth that aren’t recorded in the Scriptures?! We won’t know this side of heaven, but I encourage you to meditate on what God has told us but also be looking at the amazing works pointing towards Jesus in your own life. Be “just and devout.” Are you a Simeon or an Anna? Live a good, godly life and point others towards the Savior!