Have you ever had to wait for something? Was the anticipation agonizing? Were you waiting for something you were promised? When the time finally came, were you overjoyed when it arrived? Will you be overjoyed when Christ returns?
We have all waited for something. It may have been a Christmas present we had asked for. It may have been an engagement ring. It may have been a newborn baby. Whatever we have waited for, if it was something we thought was very special, we were overjoyed when it arrived.
I can remember the joy I felt when my son was born. I don’t think the smile left my face for days. There have been numerous joyous days with him since. There is something about a newborn that brings those smiles to our face. There is also something special about raising our children.
Simeon was a man especially blessed by the Holy Spirit. He had been given a message that told him he would see God’s Messiah before he died. He was led to the temple on the same day Joseph and Mary brought baby Jesus to be consecrated to God. The moment Simeon saw the babe in Mary’s arms, he knew he was seeing the promise of God.
Simeon took the baby in his arms and praised God. He spoke about Jesus as the salvation of all nations. He told God that he could release him to die because of what he had just seen with his own eyes. Simeon prophesied that Jesus would be a revelation for non-Jews. (Luke 2:29-32)
We, too, can be overjoyed at seeing Jesus. No, He won’t be a newborn babe. No, we won’t see Him in person until we are called home, or He returns. But we can be overjoyed in seeing Him in our daily experiences as He works in our lives. How? By knowing Him through Scripture, prayer, and asking Him to open our eyes to see Him.
I pray we all seek with anticipation seeing Jesus. I pray we all will be overjoyed to see Jesus when He returns. I pray each one of us actively seek Him in this life through Scripture, prayer, and experiences. Anticipate seeing Jesus. Be overjoyed to see Him. See Jesus in your daily life. Read Scripture. Spend time in prayer. Experience Jesus.
Luke 2:25 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.
Marty Pressey 