Day 24

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word: for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.’

Luke 2: 28-32

Journey

Bucket lists seem to be all the fashion at the moment.  101 things to do before we die.  And it could be tempting to look at the story of this encounter between Simeon and the infant Jesus as just such a ‘bucket list’ meeting.

And yet this is actually something very different.  Simeon’s longing to see God’s salvation is a mirror of the longing of the whole people of God.  For some 400 years from the time of Malachi up until this point the prophets had been silent, the Promised Land was now under Roman occupation, and it may have felt like God had gone on holiday.  There was an underlying ache in the heart of the people of God for rescue and restoration.

And in the midst of his usual Temple duties, Simeon is alert enough to see the Kingdom of God breaking in in the person of this tiny infant brought before him.  His claim is extraordinary.  ‘My eyes have seen your salvation!’ This child is the hope for the nations.

As we have journeyed through Advent together, I wonder where it feels like God has been during that journey?  I wonder what longings you have carried with you?  And I wonder if, like Simeon, you have had moments where you sense God breaking in, bringing life and hope? We continue to be a people who wait in hope, but we know that hope’s names is Jesus.

Richard