This week in posts we’ve ‘followed the star’ much like the Magi and Jesus’ father, Joseph and the shepherds in the field and Mary, Jesus’ mother. There’s a whole crew of people ‘following the star’ in the opening pages of the gospels.
We also explored how Jesus actually calls himself a star: the star of hope.
The people mentioned above all understood that, and so did two others.
One thing about Western Society that perhaps we’re getting a little better with, is honouring our elders. Sure, the collective Eastern societies are streets ahead of us on this, but I feel we’re making some gains.
Enter Simeon and Anna for today’s post. They send a clear message that it’s never too late to ‘follow the star’ and find Jesus.
God has a very different clock to the one we use. We often think we need to make all these decisions early in life and once we’ve set ourselves up (or not managed to set ourselves up) in a certain direction in our twenties, then… well, that’s it.
Jesus doesn’t roll like that.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required…
Did you notice though who was mentioned three times in the passage?
The Holy Spirit.
The passage gives three characteristics of the spirit in Simeon’s life.
Firstly, the spirit dwells with us. The passage says it was ‘on him’, that is, Simeon. An individual can have the Holy Spirit in their personhood.
Secondly, it brings revelation of information. Simeon knew he would live to see the Messiah, or The Anointed One, as we explored last week. This isn’t the kind of information that you can learn in school from a textbook. This is the kind of information that is supernaturally revealed to you.
Thirdly, the spirit can direct us. Simeon just happened to get up one day and head to the temple. Jesus just happened to be brought to the temple that day by his parents so that the requirements of the Old Testament laws could be carried out.
Just happened? No chance.
The spirit moved in Simeon so that he was at the temple and in the right place on the right day.
The same thing happened to Anna.
There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Here is a woman who has known suffering in her life and yet has stayed close to God. Utterly ruined in her society by becoming a widow so young, she has spent the rest of her life at the temple, somewhat like a nun.
She is in tune with God and appears to know that Jesus will redeem them all.
That’s what strikes me about these two older people. They are ‘in step’ with God. Simeon, literally, as he steps towards the temple that day and Anna, as she prays and skips meals to remain focused on God.
Have you asked God for his Holy Spirit to dwell within you?
Any reason why not?
Have you spent time in prayer and fasting so that you might know God better?
Any reason why not?
When it comes to fasting there could be plenty of reasons why you haven’t. Fasting should only ever be done with the right heart attitude and when it’s not going to compromise your health.
If you’d like some tips on fasting, take a look at a book I read last year.
As we get closer to Christmas, it’s worth taking the time to ask yourself “Am I following the star? Or am I stepping further away?”
Why not ask that the Spirit will help you keep in step today?
Yours praying for you today,
Alison
