Luke 2:30-32 “For
my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all
people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people
Israel.”
I
have seen God’s salvation in the lives of other people, as well as my own. I
have seen addicts turn their lives around and their families restored. I have
seen people healed of various illnesses and injuries, and have watched them
continue to enjoy life. I have seen the work of many churches across various
cities, towns, and villages seeking to support the weak, love the lost, and
embrace the hopeless. I have seen the work of missions and missionaries among
the poorest of people and in the most deprived communities on Earth. In all of these
places and among all of these people, I have seen the continuing ministry of Christ
and God’s unending work of salvation.
The
prayer of Simeon of old is still relevant in today’s world. All over globe,
Christians are working for the Lord to bring salvation to anxious persons and
healing to broken hearts. Life is a constant struggle for most people on this
small planet, but Christ’s work, words, and ways still manage to bring light
and love, as well as hope and healing to billions of human beings in hundreds
of nations.
The
prophecy that Simeon expressed in the Temple courts is still being experienced today.
If we open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to receive, we
will notice what God is truly doing among us. Christ’s light reveals to us the
redemption, renovation, and restoration of lives throughout the Earth. We only
have to be open to His Spirit; we only have to be willing to serve Christ in
order to see.
Questions for personal reflection
Where is God at
work in my life, community, and world today? How may I help Him?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of
the world and we look to You for everlasting hope and eternal life. You came
into this planet to restore us to God through mercy and forgiveness, grace and
love. Thank You for these priceless gifts and infinite blessings. In Your Holy
Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin
Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment
on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s
drawing is John’s latest stained glass design. It’s based upon windows that he
saw as a child when living in tenements in Glasgow, Scotland. The drawing is
called both “Halfway Up the Stairs” and “Glasgow Rose.” If you would like to
see a larger version, click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7458512986_9fc4bdf206_b.jpg
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