“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. So he came by 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 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles. And the glory of Your people Israel.” And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.””
Luke 2:25-35 NKJV
Today we read the story of Simeon and Anna, two devout followers of God who were promised that they would not die until they had seen the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to be dedicated, Simeon and Anna recognized him as the promised savior and were filled with joy and worship.
In this passage, we see the importance of holding on in worship. Simeon and Anna had waited their entire lives for the coming of the Messiah, and their faith and devotion never wavered. They were determined to see the promise of God fulfilled and their perseverance was rewarded when they saw Jesus.
As Christian we too must hold on in worship. We may not know when the Lord will reveal himself to us but we must trust that he will and continue to worship him in faith. In times of trial and uncertainty it can be easy to lose sight of God and become discouraged, but if we hold on in worship we will be able to see his hand at work in our lives.
Worship is not just singing songs or reciting prayers it’s an attitude of the heart a way of life. Holding on in worship means to keep our hearts and minds fixed on God even when we can’t see or feel him. It means to trust that he is in control and that he has a plan for our lives. It means to keep our focus on him, even when the world around us is distracting and chaotic.
Furthermore Simeon and Anna’s story teaches us that worship is not only about us and our personal relationship with God but also about the impact our worship has on those around us. Simeon filled with the Holy Spirit proclaims that Jesus is the savior of the world not just of Israel and his worship of Jesus inspires others to believe in him. Likewise Anna a prophetess gives thanks to God and speaks about Jesus to everyone who was looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
In the same way, our worship should not be just about us but about the impact it has on others. When we worship God with all of our hearts we become a light to those around us, pointing them to the love and salvation of Jesus. Our worship should be a testimony of God’s faithfulness and grace that inspires others to believe in him.
Lastly Simeon and Anna’s story also reminds us that worship is not just for the young and strong but for the old and weak. Simeon was an old man and Anna was a widow of 84 years yet they were both filled with the Holy Spirit and were able to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Similarly no matter what our age or physical condition, we are all called to worship God with all of our hearts.
In conclusion, Luke 2:25-35 reminds us of the importance of holding on in worship. It teaches us that worship is not just singing songs or reciting prayers but an attitude of the heart a way of life. It teaches us to keep our focus on God even when we can’t see or feel him, to trust in his plan for our lives, and to let our worship be a testimony of his faithfulness and grace that inspires others to believe in him. No matter what our age or physical condition we are all called to worship God with all of our hearts just like Simeon and Anna.
