Today, folks watched
Punxsutawney Phil emerge from his burrow in Pennsylvania. Since he saw
his shadow this year, six more weeks of winter weather will supposedly linger across the United States. (Southerners
prefer to let General Beauregard Lee prognosticate their weather from Stone
Mountain, Georgia.)
However, February 2 is also a significant day for Christians—so important that
earlier believers in some countries did not consider the Christmas Season
concluded until this date.
Candlemas was listed on commercial calendars in my childhood, but I rarely
see it noted these days. Candles are carried in procession before the service, blessed, and distributed
as a symbol of the Church to go forth as the light of the world. It is the
Christian's "Festival of Lights". The observance is also known as Christ’s Presentation in
the Temple and The Purification of Mary.
Jesus' ransom in the Temple beautifully foretold the imminent reality of
humanity's long-awaited redemption, rise, and restoration in Christ to divine
heirship. Today, it also challenges us to follow the examples of Spirit-filled
Simeon and Anna, who were able to find God in the small and unassuming.
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| Rembrandt's Simeon and Anna |
All first-born males were brought to the Temple for presentation according to
the Law. So nothing appeared out of the ordinary that day to the priests, attendants,
and scores of people flowing in and out of the Temple courts.
A few visitors
probably nodded at Joseph and Mary as they passed--perhaps noting that the
couple could only bring an offering permitted for the poor (two turtledoves or
two young pigeons).
"And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this
man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy
Spirit was upon him.
"And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he
would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
"So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the
Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 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.'
"And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken
of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this
Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign
which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own
soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:25-35)
Based on a personal word from God, Simeon was assured that he would not die
until he had seen the Messiah; consequently, he lived expectantly surrendered
to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit prompted Simeon to go to the Temple on this particular day where,
with spiritual eyes, he was able to recognize that God was present in an
unusual way. Through all the noise, converse, and rituals, he discerned the
uncommon from the common, the divine swaddled in plain humanity. As a result,
Simeon became a pivotal mouthpiece for God, whose prophecy concerning the
ministry of Jesus continues to be proclaimed thousands of years later.
Anna had been a widow for eighty-four years. Instead of remarrying,
she lived at the Temple and spent her days in prayers and fastings. Anna was
also easily moved by the Spirit of God, and she walked by at the very moment
Simeon was prophesying over the Savior.
"And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and
spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem."(Luke 2:38)
Notice she did not have to stop and ask, "What's going on?" She
instantly received a Word of Knowledge and began to prophesy with Simeon.
Simeon's and Anna's prophetic words about Christ are significant; they are the
last ones we hear from an old era of salvation by works until Jesus steps out
of the Jordan to begin His ministry. What an honor to hold and bless God, the
Son, and proclaim the arrival of His Kingdom.
Simeon and Anna are two of my favorite people in the Bible. Their lives give me
hope that I, too, can find the divine in the everyday places and people of
life.
As a whole, the Jewish nation missed their day of visitation because they had
preconceived notions as to how the God-king and rescuer would arrive on earth…how
he would look and live. The people were taken off guard and even offended at
the lowliness, humility, and gentleness of Jesus.
I'm sure I've missed many days of visitation. That's why I pray for a heart
like Simeon's--so surrendered to the Holy Spirit that I can spot God wrapped in
the smallest and most unpretentious packaging.
I know I've passed up opportunities to be blessed because I didn't recognize
him in that homeless guy that I use to pass on the way to work. I
should have taken time to look a little closer into the eyes of the rude clerk
at Wal-Mart. I would have seen Jesus through the fatigue of a single mom
standing on her feet hour after hour, only to pick up a screaming child from
the baby sitter's after work and silently wonder if she could put off her car
payment one more time.
We cry, "God, where are you?" and then go blindly through the day. We
look, as did Elijah, for the dramatic wind, earthquake, and fire for evidence.
We miss Him because we forget that when God came to earth, He chose to do so
incarnate in human flesh.
Nothing has changed. God continues to work in the world incarnationally--human
to human. You see, the Church is the visible Body of Christ--His heart and His
hands--the continuing ministry of Jesus on earth. And God is at work in the lives of the most unlikely, unfortunate,
and unlovely of humanity. He challenges us to push past the "outer
court" and look deeper.
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me
drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I
was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry
and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a
stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick,
or in prison, and come to You?’
And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as
you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ "
Matthew 25:34-40
Did you know that the final covering used for the Tabernacle in the
Wilderness was porpoise skin? To
the undiscerning, it was just a large, dull-looking tent. However, the outer shell
served an important purpose because it was resilient and waterproof--ideal to
protect the treasure within.
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the
power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Father, help us recognize you in the people we come across in our daily
lives. They bear your image and likeness, though marred and muddied. Help us
see past the unlovely skin to the treasure within.
Unlike Anna, I do not physically reside at church twenty-four hours a day, but
my heart is a home (temple) for the Holy Spirit; there I can continually
commune with Him. I've been praying for some things for what seems like a lifetime, haven't you? However,
we must draw encouragement from Simeon and Anna's "suddenlies". It's never too late and you're not too old.
What did Anna and Simeon have in common?
1) They were humble people with extraordinary commitments and sensitivities toward
God.
2) They allowed the Holy Spirit to interrupt their day (even those noble, religious
duties).
3) They had pushed aside fleshly expectations and used their keenly exercised
spiritual senses.
No wonder Christians included Simeon and Anna in the Christmas Story!
MAKE IT COUNT