Joseph and Mary were going to the temple in obedience to the law of Moses--for Mary to be purified and Jesus to be dedicated--on the eighth day after the birth of Jesus. The Holy Spirit spoke to Simeon and told him to go to the temple, the one he has been waiting for was there. Anna lived at the temple and was also touched by the Holy Spirit and told to go to the courts because the one she was waiting for was there. It was there obedience to the Holy Spirir that enabled them to see the Messiah, God's salvation of Israel. For each person, it had been years of waiting for this moment. Days, months, years of waiting, probably wondering, and waiting, trusting God, knowing God would do as He said, holding fast and tightly to God's promise. Yes, we can learn to be patient, to trust, to believe God will do what He says He will do; but, if we look closer there is something else we can learn from Simeon and Anna.
Mary and Joseph were approached by two strangers, two people in the courts (the edge) of the synagogue (the church) that spoke prophesy to them. Simeon and Anna opened themselves to speak God's message about Jesus and God's warning to Mary. In this brief encounter much has happened: 1) Simeon and Anna saw their Salvation, 2) both gave God's message to Mary and Joseph, and 3) Mary and Joseph were open to receive the message being spoken even if they didn't understand it.
On New Years Day my daughter and I watched the movie, MOTHER'S NIGHT OUT. It was about a young mother who was attempting to be the perfect mother, the perfect Christian, the perfect daughter, the perfect wife.....You get the picture, the perfect everything all in her own self. Does this sound familiar? It was a biker, a tattoo artist, a big, mean looking dude that spoke God's message to the woman. The one you would never expect to hear comments like this to come from. Was this how Simeon and Anna appeared to Mary and Joseph?
Both Mary and Joseph and the young wife and mother in the movie received messages from the least likely of people at the least likely of times in the least likely of places. Are we open enough to hear God talking to us no matter who speaks it or where we are when it's spoken to us whether it be in the courts of the synagogue, the narthex of the church, in a hospital, in your living room....? Will we shake it off or will we accept the message?
No comments:
Post a Comment