LUKE 2:30-31

For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations

TO PONDER

The verse today is a line from a song of praise that a man named Simeon proclaimed in the Jerusalem temple after seeing the young infant Jesus being dedicated to the Lord as Mary and 'Joseph's' first born male child. (This was the Jewish custom). Simeon had received a revelation from God that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised messiah. He see's Jesus and immediately recognises who, and what Jesus is and bursts into this song of praise. If you ever attend a Sunday service in a more traditional Lutheran Church, this 'Song of Simeon' is still often used as part of the liturgy after communion. Simeon's words have had a lasting impact.

I guess that's what I want to help us reflect on today. Simeon was an old man who had been simply waiting around to see the messiah. I think this describes a lot of Christians today. Many of us are just sitting around waiting for Jesus to come back and take us out of this life to be with him in the next. Waiting around is one thing, but once Simeon had seen God's salvation in the promised messiah, he got busy telling people all about it, even breaking into impromptu song.

Now I'm not a particularly talented musician, and I'm not suggesting that we all have to start writing Praise and Worship music, but there is something about sharing what we have seen and witnessed God do for us and for all people. Christmas is one of those times when the wider population is generally a little more open to hearing about what God has done in the birth of Jesus, but beyond the Christmas carol events what do we, as the people who have really been invited to understand and see what is going on in the birth of this baby, really done to share the good news over the last few weeks?

The good thing is that we have new opportunities every day to share the good news of the birth of Jesus. Our eyes have seen the salvation that he brings, perhaps even more so than Simeon, a salvation that he has prepared and freely makes available to all people.

I had to go to the shops for some groceries yesterday (amid all the Boxing Day sales). There was not much talk of Christmas any more but every other conversation I overheard was about the amazing deals people had managed to 'snap up'. If we are prepared to tell everyone about the bargain we got at the shops, surely we can spare some time and energy to tell them the best news about the most outrageous deal of all time?!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please help the joy and excitement of your birth, which I have spent so much time preparing for and celebrating over the last few days, continue to excite me and move me to continue sharing the story of good news with anyone who has an ear to hear. Amen

Today's devotion by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.