«And all people will see God’s salvation». Luke 3:6, NM
A FRIEND OF MINE developed an odd habit. Every day, he would read the obituary section of the New York Times, write down the age of each person listed, and then calculate the average age at which they received a death certificate. According to him, the median age was around seventy-five. Since he was galloping into his seventies, he felt that the knife of death was a short distance away from his wrinkled neck.
I think the elderly Simeon did not have the worry that fills my friend with anxiety. Luke introduces us to this admirable character as follows: «And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ» (Luke 2:25, 26).
Simeon had been promised he would not die without having seen the Savior of the world with his own eyes. Let’s put ourselves in his shoes for a moment. If the Lord delayed in coming, it would mean Simeon’s life would be prolonged. But the sooner the Lord came, the less years he would live. I wonder: What would we have wanted if we had been promised that—to live more on this earth, or to live less and see the Savior?
One promise filled Simeon’s elderly years with life; one longing gave meaning to the last stage of his earthly experience: to see the Lord. And when he finally had the chance to see Him, his mouth sang, «Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation» (Luke 2:29, 30).
His desire to see salvation made him willing to remain standing in the face of the onslaught of old age, and when that salvation became a present reality in his life, he was willing to depart in peace. The evening of his earthly life allowed him to see the One who would be the Light of the world.
And now the promise given to Simeon is for all of us: «All people will see God’s salvation» (Luke 3:6, NIV). If you and I are still alive, it is because God wants that promise to be fulfilled in each of us.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2023
“I AM WITH YOU”
From: J. VLADIMIR POLANCO
Collaborators: Lorina Maya & Avineyda Hernández
