Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God. – Luke 2:25-28
Some things you can do today with God’s name
- Read Luke 2:21-35.
- Consolation is from the Greek word, paraklésis, meaning comfort, encouragement, one called alongside to help.
- Meditate on Jesus coming to be your comforter, your encouragement, your helper.
The holidays can be a very difficult time for many people, especially if your life and family are not all that you had hoped it would be. Remember, Jesus came to bring you comfort and encouragement. Meditate on this today and the rest of the week. Rather than focusing on what you don’t have, focus on what you do have today, this year. Thankfulness helps us to change our perspective. I know. I struggle sometimes with my life not being all I had hoped it would be. I never imagined I would be single for 16 years. I never thought I’d have to raise my sons alone. But I can’t focus on that. I have so much to be thankful for—and so do you!
I pray that God will fill you with joy during this holiday season as you focus on Jesus and all He has done and is doing for you!