A favorite part .....

..of the Christmas Story for me is located in Luke 2:25-35

NIV starts out like this " There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel's consolation, and the Holy Spirit was upon him."

All we really know about this man was that he was a "man of God" and possibly up in years. We also know that he listened to God quite often b/c he could quote the prophets of old. He was a man "in touch" w/God so much that God's Holy Spirit told him that he would not die until he saw the Messiah.

In my imagination, I think that he was a gentle man, rough large hands, maybe tall and lanky, but carried himself in such a way that others gave their respect and their listening ears. Some may have always looked at him as a crazy old man who never stopped talking about the coming Messiah....but he always knew better!

I like to think that he loved children. I don't know why but when I read V28 "Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God" I can see the love in his eyes for this child he was holding. How he carefully handed this child back to His mother, letting her know that she was the mother of The Messiah. Smiling at Joseph with tears streaming down his face, knodding his head b/c he was so grateful to have held The Messiah!

V30-32 states "For my eyes have seen Your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all people, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel."
V34-35 Simeon blessed them all and told Mary "Indeed this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed! A sword will pierce your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

I love to think of being a shepherd seeing the tiny babe...I admire the patience and travel time the Magi took to lay gifts at the feet of a small child....I so respect 2 young people in love for facing the insurmountable odds of 9 mos when they did nothing wrong in that situation all b/c they knew God was working thru them.

So when I read about Simeon, I am amazed! He had been waiting for this Messiah, this Savior for many years. No doubt many parents went in and out of the temple to perform what was customary to Jewish law...but Simeon knew the child at first glance! He scooped Him up into his arms and praised God for the Messiah revealed! He knew that his life could end that very minute b/c he finally got to see what God had promised all along!

What I can take from this? Well, I love babies, I love to give gifts (small or large), I admire anyone who perserviers thru trials and hard times....I understand the shepherds, Magi and being a couple in love-facing trials....BUT I CAN ONLY HOPE TO ONE DAY BE A SIMEON!

The true hope is: I don't have to one day be a Simeon, I have the Word in front of me, I have seen the child! I see Him in the kids we help at the schools near our church, the trailer court we support w/food, my small group of 4th-5th graders, my mother and Steve's father who both are ailing in their older years. The cashier at WalMart or a single mother trying to handle life w/an autistic child. I don't want to fail to mention our military. All these lay under the cross of The Messiah , including me.

Am I Simeon? Never will be but I am a believer of The Messiah, and have the Holy Spirit within me so may I never stop seeking and telling and helping others to know of the hope of the light of revelation for salvation giving all the glory to God.

Merry Christmas!