From Ordinary Routine to Extraordinary Blessing

Luke 2:26-32

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples – a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel.

The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus. This same Holy Spirit that spoke a promise to Simeon speaks to Christians today. He will reveal things to us from the Father that glorify His Son. The Holy Spirit promised Simeon that he would see the Messiah, and He brought the fulfillment of that promise to him. Simeon did not have to go looking for Jesus. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Simeon in a routine practice of the day.

When we go about our daily business doing what God has called us to do, we can expect God to reveal Jesus to us through His Holy Spirit. We need only take Him at His word and believe He is working in our lives, and He will reveal to us the miracle He is working in us, through us, and for us. Simeon saw the Messiah in the ordinary, daily routine of the place where God had called him to serve. This passage illustrates to us the importance of serving where God has called us to serve and doing daily what He has called us to do.

Simeon was guided by the Holy Spirit to enter the temple complex at the very moment Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to be circumcised. This was not a coincidence but the providential hand of God leading Simeon to encounter the fulfillment of the promise He had made to him.  God knows how to get a miracle to us! We encounter those miracles when we submit to the yielding of the Holy Spirit.

Seeing Jesus was such a blessing to Simeon that he was ready to die. He was old in age and had learned to follow God’s leading. Now that he had witnessed the Messiah with his own eyes, he could think of no greater blessing God could bestow on him. He had lived out all his dreams in seeing Jesus. 

We don’t know how much longer Simeon lived after this point, but God used him to speak a prophetic word over Jesus so His parents could hear. He acknowledged Him as God’s salvation, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to God’s people. His words would have confirmed what Mary and Joseph were told by the angel. 

Are you serving where God has called you to serve? Are you using the gifts He has given you?  If you are not, you may be missing miracles and promises. Don’t take for granted the daily, ordinary, routine things of life or those nudges from the Holy Spirit. You never know when your miracle will walk right into your presence and reveal Jesus to you. 

Have a blessed day!