25 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 upon him.
There have always been those tuned in to what God is doing. Simeon was just such a man. He sought God and God gave him some news about the timing of Messiah’s arrival. He did not boast about that knowledge, as far as we can tell. He simply waited for the arrival. He knew Messiah was coming, and he waited. He watched. He prayed. This is the position we are to take in regards to Christ’s return. We know He is coming. We are told to be ready, waiting, praying and looking. Just as Simeon had knowledge that guided his life, so we have that same kind of knowledge. Notice that Simeon was righteous and devout. His life lined up with his words and his words lined up with Scripture. He took the knowledge he had about the future and allowed that knowledge to change his current course of life. He did not allow his own laziness to hinder his walk. He was diligent about his pursuit of the Lord. When opportunities arose for fellowship with the Lord, he took them. He was not afraid to be different from the crowd. Not everyone was righteous and devout. He was waiting for Israel to be consoled following the centuries of silence from God. Israel had been in rebellion and the Lord punished that rebellion by sending them into exile. They lived as slaves in a foreign land for years. Some had returned to the Promised Land, but many choose to stay in their new homes. I think that too often we get comfortable in our new home. We forget that we have a city whose builder and foundation is the Lord. We think this life is so wonderful that we forget the glories of heaven. We allow the values of this life to override the values of heaven. Simeon allowed the values of heaven to rule his earthly life. Finally, the Holy Spirit was on Simeon. God’s presence was with him. He was tuned in to the Spirit’s still small voice. Whose values are we living by? Whose voice are we listening to?
The Arnold Journey 