And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. (Luke 2:25 NAS95)
I like Simeon, and this story, because he lived in anticipation of God and His love. Simeon knew he would not die before seeing Jesus as a child. I wonder how Simeon knew that? When I think about it, I must conclude that Simeon believed God honors His Word and fulfills His promises.
One of the most difficult things for me has to do with believing God’s love for me. God knows it too. In May of 2022, I read a passage of Scripture, which concerns doing God’s will, and I asked Him what He meant by the sentence I read. I said, “what is your will?”
I did not expect nor anticipate what happened next. Within nanoseconds, I heard, “that you would perceive Me as love.” While not audible, I heard it very clearly and it immediately made an indelible mark on my heart. It made sense of the passage I had read in more ways than one, and it echoed God’s own declaration through the hand of John the apostle (Paul too), “God is love.”
Since then, I have been working to see, or rather, perceive God as love in my experience no matter my circumstance. Slowly that shift continues to leak into practice, with the Spirit constantly reminding when I doubt or question it. Especially when circumstances don’t feel so good.
Simeon, on the other hand, lived in anticipation of seeing God’s salvation, God’s love fulfilled in the person of Jesus. He expected God’s love, and He expected God to fulfill His promises. Simeon carried an awareness of God’s love for the nations, for everyone. Luke points that out in the verses that follow the citation above.
Similarly, Christmas reminds me (and us) to anticipate the love of God, the faithfulness of God each day. I want to continue to grow in the anticipation of God’s love toward me in all things. That doesn’t mean things will go well for right for me, but it does mean, for me at least, that no matter how I feel, God’s love continues to pursue and shape me every moment of the day.
While Christmas comes once each year to remind us of God’s love, it also calls me to reflect on whether I anticipate God’s loving care toward me as a daily expectation. What about you?
For Reflection:
“But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.” (Psalm 13:5 NAS95)
- What memories of God’s love toward you come to mind as you reflect on this past year?
- What might God be saying to you through your reflections on your interaction with Him as you think about it for 2023?
