“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger” (15-16).
[Simeon said, ] “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation” (29-30).
In these two passages, we see the report of shepherds near Bethlehem and Simeon at the Temple in Jerusalem. Both the shepherds and Simeon demonstrate an admirable desire to see Jesus.
As soon as the angels told them about Jesus’s birth, “they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (16) The text doesn’t indicate any prior knowledge about the birth of the messiah or a longing desire to see him. The text only describes their immediate desire to see Jesus based on the angels’ report.
On the other hand, we have Simeon, who was waiting longingly to see the messiah. The description of Simeon gives me the impression that he – even in frustration – had been waiting for the messiah’s appearance for a very long time. I say frustrated, not in a negative sense, but in a way that demonstrates a disappointment that it didn’t happen today. Every day, he hoped to encounter the messiah.
I want to have the spirit of both the shepherds and Simeon. I want to be quickly responsive to the word of the Lord. I also want to look longingly for the Lord’s return. I want to wake up every day hoping that today will be the day!
Father, please help me reorient my heart to be more heavenly-minded. Amen.
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