"It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah."
Luke 2:26 (NIV)
Not only was Simeon waiting for the consolation of Israel, he was also waiting to die. We have a saying: "that so and so has one foot in the grave", which we mean that they are close to death. It is a little silly, for none of us have any idea how close we are to death, yet Simeon was waiting to die. Just as he provided a good model for us in terms of waiting on the Lord, so he also provides a good model for those who have one foot in the grave.
The first thing we notice, is Simeon's close relationship to the Spirit of God: "the Spirit was upon him, revealed to him by the Spirit, and moved by the Spirit."
He was righteous and devout. He continued strong, not only in his personal faith, but in the exercise of his religious practices in his larger faith community.
His interest was to the nation. He was waiting for the nation's Messiah; instead of becoming completely self-focused on his own departure, he was interested in his nation's future.
He was hopeful. Instead of bemoaning the terrible state of his country, he was actively waiting for his God to deliver them, and he was sure of what he hoped for.
He recognized the value of the next generations. Not only did he recognize that a small boy child was the Messiah, but he took time to bless the father and the mother, and encourage their hearts.
Oh to be in that close of a relationship to the Spirit of God; having His power at work within us, hearing His still small voice, recognizing His direction in our lives, having a hope that fills our souls and actively blessing and encouraging the generations that follow. May we emulate Simeon's behaviour this Christmas as we interact with family and friends.
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