21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
I’m almost always looking forward to something. Looking forward to seeing people I love, waiting for the next limited edition item to drop, being excited for the next season of a show, or even waiting for life to return to normal after a pandemic. Some days, the wait and excitement is excruciating; I feel like I’m bursting with anticipation and can’t hold it in.
Simeon waited for the birth of Christ, the promise of salvation that God had given him so many years before. He did not know when he would see him, nor when his prayers would be fulfilled. Yet, he was still known as a righteous and devout man of faith. We often hear how God fulfills many promises and answers many people’s prayers. But we forget the period of suspense and even hopelessness we might feel waiting for His fulfillment. It’s easy to get lost and distracted, and during these times we may lose sight of what we are truly working towards.
When Mary and Joseph presented the child to the Lord, they offered a sacrifice of two doves. This may seem insignificant, but the pair of doves speak to the plebeian status of Mary and Joseph, as it was normally a lamb and a dove that would be sacrificed.
When Simeon saw them enter the temple, he did not hesitate. He did not doubt that this was who the Holy Spirit led him to, he did not show shame from their status; he reacted by celebrating immediately. Even though God’s answer may not have been what he expected. Simeon celebrated the child and the two lowly teenagers, and proudly exclaimed that this baby would bring salvation to the nations.
Simeon is a powerful example of someone who remained present in his faith and trusted the Lord’s fulfillment without misjudgment. As we enter this holiday season with anticipation, I pray that we, too, stay present—living out the words of Jesus in our daily lives. May we look ahead without losing sight of God or misunderstanding His promises. And may we always remember that our lives are a testimony to what He has done for us and what He will continue to do.
