Our verse to DATE the Word on February 25 (2/25) is Luke 2:25. Luke 2:25 says, “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just (righteous) and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”
LIVING IN EXPECTATIONS OF HIS COMING (AGAIN)
In what we would call the CHARACTERS of the first CHRISTMAS it is easy to overlook a few as they have what might be viewed as a small role. Every Christmas play about the first Christmas always has Mary and Joseph. It has angels and shepherds. It has three Kings or wise men with three gifts. Some plays have Caesar Augustus (I played him once) and some have evil King Herod. But I cannot remember a single Christmas play that had Simeon.
Simeon is a major player in the Christmas story! Our verse to DATE brings a little bit of him into focus! When you read Luke 2:25 and the following verses about this man of God you find a great example. Right off the start, Luke describes him as a man of high character. He was just or righteous in how he lived, and he was DEVOUT.
We don’t seem to use the word DEVOUT too much these days. It is a really good word that we should want to be known for. It means to handle something entrusted to you with GREAT CARE. The person is very cautious and conscientious with the assignments given to them. They handle things with reverence, with what is called a godly fear. Because of their diligence to handle things entrusted to them with such care, they are often very highly respected. Someone who is DEVOUT is viewed as someone who is trustworthy. Many times, the word is used to speak of one’s relationship with God.
Simeon was doing what was right and was very reverent, and careful with his assignments.
Luke then describes him as WAITING. He was WAITING for the Consolation of Israel. He was WAITING for the COMING of the MESSIAH.
The WAITING of Simeon is another great example from his life that we need to be following. While we are not WAITING for the first coming we are to be WAITING for the second coming. Are you WAITING for the second coming of Christ?
Whenever I am speaking about WAITING for the Second Coming I am reminded that I should remind myself and others what waiting means. WAITING does not mean one goes to a high mountain and sits down, WAITING until He comes. I learned what waiting meant before I was a teenager. One day my mom told me I needed to WAIT until my dad got home to help him unload a load of fertilizer at the shed. With her words, I stopped what I was doing and started going to the shed to WAIT. (I was going to go to the shed and sit down and WAIT.) Mom saw this and said, “Keep working on what you are working on with a watchful eye and when you see him coming up the driveway then you make your way to the shed.”
HMMMM. WAITING did not mean sitting down and doing nothing. It meant being watchful while working!
As believers, we are to be WAITING for the Lord’s return. There should be an expectation and anticipation that at any moment He will rapture us home. I have lived by a principle I learned from Dr. Billy Graham in which he said he started every day with the thought PERHAPS TODAY. I challenge you to be living with PERHAPS TODAY!
I also learned a principle from Dr. Jerry Falwell to go with Dr. Graham’s principle. He taught us to live like this just might be our last day, our last hour, our last minute but WORK as though we were going to live another 100 years.
Simeon was WAITING but while WAITING he was WATCHING AND WORKING! Let the Lord’s return find us at work for Him, watching for Him, WAITING with anticipation.
Verse to DATE the Word on February 25 (2/25) is Luke 2:25. It says, “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just (righteous) and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”
Occupy till He comes!
Continue Strong,
And remember to DATE THE WORD