December 27 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

God had promised Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah. On this day, the Holy Spirit guided Simeon into the temple, where he met Mary and Joseph with their baby. Then Simeon took Jesus in his arms and sang his song: "Now may your servant, Lord, according to your word depart in exaltation. My peace shall be serene, for now my eyes have seen your wonderful salvation."

Simeon was not asking for death. He was speaking as a watchman whose watch had ended. He is the representative of the true Israel. An old woman, Anna, of the tribe of Asher, also came to greet the Redeemer.

Simeon is described as someone who was looking "for the consolation of Israel." And Anna was one of many who were "looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem."

The Bible brings these people onto the scene as "the Israel within Israel," the true people of God whose hearts burned with Messianic hopes and whose lips said daily prayers for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Now their eyes are blessed because they see the baby in the temple. Here their watch has ended. Simeon sings the swan song of the old covenant: "Now dismiss your servant in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation." And Anna, who is from the tribe of Asher, one of the least among the sons of Jacob, sees the remnant of that tribe coming to greet the light of day after a long and dreary night. And now the Old Testament exits.

It is the end of one watch and the beginning of another. The guard has changed. Now the people of the Messiah, the true Israel of the new covenant, are the saints who watch and wait and pray. And soon "the night of weeping shall be the morn of song."

REFLECTIONS

What can you learn for your spiritual journey from the examples of Simeon and Anna?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.