Daily Scripture: Luke 2:25 There was in Yerushalayim a man named Shim‘on. This man was a tzaddik, he was devout, he waited eagerly for God to comfort Isra’el, and the Ruach HaKodesh was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Ruach HaKodesh that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah of Adonai. 27 Prompted by the Spirit, he went into the Temple courts; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua to do for him what the Torah required, 28 Shim‘on took him in his arms, made a b’rakhah to God, and said,
29 “Now, Adonai, according to your word,
your servant is at peace as you let him go;
30 for I have seen with my own eyes your yeshu‘ah,
31 which you prepared in the presence of all peoples —
32 a light that will bring revelation to the Goyim
and glory to your people Isra’el.”
Reflection Questions:Simeon was “led by the Spirit” to the Temple area. The text implies that the Spirit must have also led him to Mary, Joseph and their infant son rather than to any other parents who brought infants to the Temple that day. Luke said, “The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” So for Simeon, this was truly a dream come true.
- Simeon “eagerly anticipated the restoration of Israel,” even though the mighty Roman army firmly controlled Judea, and Israel’s religious leaders often quarreled and were at times corrupt. How can you nurture a hopeful sense of “eager anticipation” about what God is doing today, and about Christ’s return to fully establish his Kingdom?
- Verse 27: “Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple area.” Pastor Hamilton often speaks about the importance of paying attention to God’s “inner nudges” through the Spirit. In what ways have you sensed the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life? How can you distinguish between the Spirit’s “nudges” and other impulses that may come to you?
Lord God, I’m thankful for the story of how Simeon eagerly anticipated and welcomed Jesus. I pray that I might live my life in eager anticipation and openness to your Spirit for what you want to do today. Amen.
---------------------Insights from Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.
It’s full-on Christmas in our house. The tree is decorated, the stockings are up, even the cats are into it! I’m loving it. I’ll even confess to listening to Christmas music when there was still clearance Halloween candy in the aisles. I know. I know. But I couldn’t help myself. I’m just totally into celebrating Christmas this year.
But I’m not the only one. The season of holiday parties has started, so many of us find ourselves celebrating over and over. We give ourselves a whole month of eating, merriment, eating, gift-giving, and more eating.
There’s nothing really wrong with this (minus the five pounds we need to lose come January). I can’t think of a better thing to celebrate than the babe born on that o holy night 2,000 years ago.
But the problem comes in that in all of our celebrating, we miss the beauty of advent. We skip right over the longing for a Savior and go straight for the manger, the shepherds, and the heavenly host.
Yet I think that at least some of this time leading up to Christmas, we are meant to pause and remember what it was like prior to Jesus coming to earth. Israel had a longing, a yearning for a king to lead them from despair. They spent year after year thinking, “Maybe he’ll come this year. Can’t God see our need for deliverance? Certainly he has to come now!” Years turned into decades, decades turned into centuries. And nothing – nothing but wishing and hoping. They were lost. They needed a savior, and they needed one desperately.
And they aren’t the only ones. Reflecting on the time before Christ helps us to recognize our own need for him. It allows us to sit in the uneasiness and see that we are those people, the people of Israel. We are lost, lost in our busyness, our pride, our overindulgence, our fear, our neediness… the list goes on and on. Being lost creates tension. It’s scary, uncomfortable, and distressing. But I have to believe that there is something to cherish about it too. It allows us to acknowledge where we are weak to more appreciate where Christ is strong.
So in these next few weeks, deck the halls, eat the candy canes, and buy your gifts. But don’t let the season of advent get overshadowed by all of the festivities. Hold tight to the time of being lost and sense your eagerness for a king. And together we join with those who prayed for thousands of years, “O come, o come, Emmanual, and ransom both captive Israel and ransom each of us.”
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Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
But I’m not the only one. The season of holiday parties has started, so many of us find ourselves celebrating over and over. We give ourselves a whole month of eating, merriment, eating, gift-giving, and more eating.
There’s nothing really wrong with this (minus the five pounds we need to lose come January). I can’t think of a better thing to celebrate than the babe born on that o holy night 2,000 years ago.
But the problem comes in that in all of our celebrating, we miss the beauty of advent. We skip right over the longing for a Savior and go straight for the manger, the shepherds, and the heavenly host.
Yet I think that at least some of this time leading up to Christmas, we are meant to pause and remember what it was like prior to Jesus coming to earth. Israel had a longing, a yearning for a king to lead them from despair. They spent year after year thinking, “Maybe he’ll come this year. Can’t God see our need for deliverance? Certainly he has to come now!” Years turned into decades, decades turned into centuries. And nothing – nothing but wishing and hoping. They were lost. They needed a savior, and they needed one desperately.
And they aren’t the only ones. Reflecting on the time before Christ helps us to recognize our own need for him. It allows us to sit in the uneasiness and see that we are those people, the people of Israel. We are lost, lost in our busyness, our pride, our overindulgence, our fear, our neediness… the list goes on and on. Being lost creates tension. It’s scary, uncomfortable, and distressing. But I have to believe that there is something to cherish about it too. It allows us to acknowledge where we are weak to more appreciate where Christ is strong.
So in these next few weeks, deck the halls, eat the candy canes, and buy your gifts. But don’t let the season of advent get overshadowed by all of the festivities. Hold tight to the time of being lost and sense your eagerness for a king. And together we join with those who prayed for thousands of years, “O come, o come, Emmanual, and ransom both captive Israel and ransom each of us.”
---------------------
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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