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"He took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel."
(Luke 2:28-32)
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us continue to learn from the prophet Simeon who shows us by his example how we can passionately focus on Jesus.
In verse 28, Simeon took Jesus in his arms and blessed God. He was a man of action. He was patient, but when the time came for him to be active, he was. We should take a page from the life of Simeon and do what he did, and be intentional in our praise to the Lord.
In verse 29, he began his song of praise with the word "Lord." The Greek word is despotes, from which we get the English word despot, absolute ruler. He refers to himself as servant or doulos, the lowest of servants, those who performed the most menial tasks. When we see God for who He is, we will have an accurate understanding of who we are and who we are not. God has been faithful to Simeon; he has seen the Christ, and now he can die in peace. To depart this life in peace is a beautiful thing that many do not experience. But those who love and serve God enjoy such a sendoff to the next life, an eternal life.
Verse 30 says that Simeon saw the salvation of God. God came to earth in the form of a human being, a baby boy, and His mission was to save the world. He did not come with great human pomp and circumstance. He was born in an animal stable and placed in a feed trough. Poor shepherds heralded His birth. Three wise men came and gave Him gifts. He was not born into human royalty but to ordinary people. Some have called it a strange way to save the world. But it is God's way, and His ways are better and higher than our own! (Isaiah 55:8-9) "[Simeon] then uttered a psalm of praise extolling God for fulfilling His promise by bringing salvation. The Messiah is the Source of salvation, as His name Jesus indicates." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Vol. 2, p. 209))
Verse 31 says this salvation of God is for all peoples. No one is excluded. His love reaches to the highest mountain, and it flows to the lowest valley. For the up and out to the utterly broken and shattered, Jesus saves! John 8:12 states, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'"
Simeon's song of praise is a powerful declaration of the awesome saving power of God. The light of the world has come; how will you praise the Lord for His salvation? Do not miss your opportunity to be intentional and praise God with your lips, life, actions, and service this Christmas Season.
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