Will You Know Him?

“Moved by the Spirit, he [Simeon] went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God. Coming up to them at that very moment, she [Anna] gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:27-28,38).

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Have you ever given a person the silent treatment? You know that behavior where you just ignore them and go around them without talking to them? Well, that is what it felt like to Israel from God. They went 400 years without hearing a word from God. 400 years! Wow-I cannot go silent for longer than a day so 400 years is just unfathomable to me.

After that period of exhaustive years with no word from God the silence was suddenly broken. Through the cries of a newborn baby, the Savior of the world had finally come. However, many people missed it. Perhaps the most surprising people who missed it were the priests. How could this be? They studied the Scriptures. They knew a Savior was to come. All their head knowledge was not enough. They missed it because their hearts were not searching for Him.

There were two people however who were diligently searching and seeking after the Savior. They were Simeon and Anna. They recognized Jesus the moment they saw Him.

What an amazing privilege to see God wrapped in the flesh of a baby boy. The temple would have been a busy place full of people. Perhaps other parents were there with their babies doing the same thing the law required. The baby Jesus was nothing more spectacular than the others in physical appearance. There was nothing to make Him stand out among the others. He was ordinary and just like any other baby who had to come to the temple for consecration. Yet Simeon and Anna knew. They knew things others didn’t because they were seeking God.

How about you? Are you seeking God with all of your heart? Do you recognize His voice when He is speaking to you? Are you devoted to Him alone? Will you know when He is trying to get your attention? Let us be sure we do not lose sight of the most important thing this season!

Father, help us to be like Simeon and Anna. Help us be a people who seek you with our full hearts. Help us to recognize You when You are seeking and directing our lives. Thank You for saving us. Thank You for humbling Yourself by putting on flesh to walk in our shoes. Lord, You amaze me. I love You. Amen.