ADVENT - DAY 21 - SALVATION WATCHED FOR

ANTICIPATING GOD IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON (A Daily Advent Devotional)

Over the next few days till Christmas I would like you to take a journey with me in anticipation.  Let's daily look at the events leading up to the birth of Christ with a sense of anticipation of His arrival into this world and into our lives.  (Inspired by the Book "The Miraculous Journey" by Marty A. Bullis).

Advent - Day 21 - Salvation Watched For

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous 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. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:22-40 ESV)

Salvation and redemption are not always easy to see.  We'd like them to be happy events, like a cozy birth story.  However, nothing we've read about Jesus' entrance into the world has been cozy.  Salvation and redemption are acts of battle and confrontation, not things we go looking for without necessity.  Luke shows us people who long for salvation, whose eyes are on the lookout, and he wants us to develop similar eyes.  His Advent story draws us into what Eugene Peterson calls "salvation watching."

Simeon and Anna, of all people, recognize this baby for who He is: the Savior.  Why were they able to see Him?  What did they have that everyone around them didn't?  

It's not that they didn't have some special equipment, but their eyes were trained for this salvation watching.  And here is where we see this cosmic battle is no different than any other.  Simeon is no gladiator, Anna is no Xena.  Their training has been God training, their tools for war His tools: 1- A faithfulness to a sacrificial life; 2- A prayerful expectancy of help for Israel (Luke 2:25 The Mesage).  3- Constant worship and fasting; and prayer night and day.  Here are warriors so different that they need a different name: servant.

Though these servants of God are allowed to see the salvation of Israel in their old age, they still have no cozy words.  This babe, they know,  is destined for confrontation.  Mark's advent account has shown the advent of battle.  Notice what Simeon says, "this child is set for the fall and rise of many in Israel."  This battle is already joined; captives are being sought and freed.  But this baby's own mother will be pierced through the soul.  She will be not be spared from salvation work.  He wants to sharpen all those who will recognize Him, hone them "that thoughts out of many hearts will be revealed" as being for Christ, as being salvation watchers.

And "to all who are looking for the redeemption of Israel" - the redeemption of human kind - fellow watchers say "Did you see that?"  "There it is."  "No, no... it's over there."  "Quick, use my binocs!"  "You've got to see this up close."