Proof
The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.
Luke 2:25-27 NLT
I remember one year as a kid when my parents were given a little German smoking man. He was made of wood, and came apart at the middle so we could put in a cone of burning incense. And I remember the intense smell, and wafting smoke.
This year I felt the need to have that experience again. What I found for us was a little tin house.
And the girls love it! They think the house is cute, it’s fun to take apart, they like picking a cone out of the box, they have to take turns lighting the incense, and then we watch. Naturally, the beauty of the twirling smoke required a mini photo shoot, as so many things do in this house.
Amera put the little tin house on the floor, and laid down herself so she could get an angle that was just right. And all I could think of was the word “proof” over and over again.
So I’ve spent the last day trying to work it out.
Smoke is proof of the fire, the burning, inside our little tin house.
In the Old Testament, a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night was proof of God’s presence as the Israelites wandered through the wilderness. There might have been smoke in all of that. But I don’t think that’s what I’m looking for during Advent.
Maybe the Frankincense that was brought by the wise men is proof of something. But I found myself thinking of someone else.
Have you met Simeon? I probably wouldn’t know him, except for the kids’ radio program “Adventures in Odyssey.” I’m, unfortunately, pretty good at skimming over the details in my Bible. But I’m working on it.
If you don’t really know Simeon, turn your Bible to Luke 2:25, and spend just 10 verses with him.
We’re told he’s waiting. We’re told Simeon “was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel." And Simeon knew, because the Spirit told him, he would see the Messiah in his lifetime. Simeon was living in faith, and faithfully waiting for proof.
Simeon knew the proof was coming, but I think proof was probably just the bonus. I know he was human, and had hard days like the rest of us; days when doubt started creeping in. But at the end of each day, he continued to faithfully wait.
Simeon had asked. God had promised. Simeon waited. God kept his promise.
Christmas is a time our kids make lists of what they want. As adults we may not write out our lists anymore, but the list is still there. And usually our items are not so easily bought at the store.
Just like Simeon, we can ask. God has made promises for us in His Word. And then we wait. God keeps all of His promises!
I’m praying you’ll allow the Spirit to lead you, and like Simeon, you’ll come face to face with the proof of God’s love and salvation.
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