The Very Culmination of His Life

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking 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 should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came 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 lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 

For Simeon, that advent of the Messiah is the very culmination of his life. This is all he has hoped for. He can now leave life in peace. Like Simeon, in Advent we we celebrate that God has come near to a people who were far. Like Simeon, in Advent, we practice yearning for this salvation to come. Meditate on what it would be like to yearn for this. Confess what you actually spend your life yearning for.