Some long for the end of college, some for their retirement date, and some may even long for the day all their children have successfully moved out and are doing well on their own. But as a child of the King, what do you long for? Prepare your heart for what God has to say to you today about an elderly saint who longed for the promised Messiah, so that his people – the Israelites might be saved.

 

DATE POSTED Monday, 2021-09-13
WRITTEN AT: Naples FL

BY: Ed Algreen

 

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 2:25-28
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

 

BIBLE TEXT: 25 That day a man named Simeon, a Jerusalem resident, was in the Temple. He was a good man, very devout, filled with the Holy Spirit and constantly expecting the Messiah to come soon. 26 For the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen him—God’s anointed King. 27 The Holy Spirit had impelled him to go to the Temple that day; and so, when Mary and Joseph arrived to present the baby Jesus to the Lord in obedience to the law, 28 Simeon was there and took the child in his arms, praising God.

 

APPLICATION: I believe that our longings will have a lot to do with the content of our heart. For most teenage girls, they probably long to find a good husband. For middle-age men they probably long for evidence of their successful godly leadership in their home. For the casual church attender, I believe they endure the service and probably long for it’s conclusion! But for the child of God who has their heart truly set on the things of God, what might we tend to long for? Speaking from a personal perspective, I find that the more I study and meditate on the Word of God, the more excited I become about being in the presence of our Lord and Savior, while looking back on the heartaches and stress of this old world. Friends, I believe that we could easily become caught up in two ways that pull us towards God and being in His presence. The more we watch the news channels, we become so disgusted with this world and all the sin that mankind has either introduced, or is currently working towards, and we soon realize that we are longing for the day that God takes us out of this mess. Secondly, the more that we read God’s Word; talk with Him; and have fellowship with Him as we truly worship Him, we find ourselves longing for the day that we will be in His presence for all eternity. As we look at the story of Simeon, we should note that he had such a close relationship with God, that: he was given a prophecy about the Messiah that would come; and he was led by the Holy Spirit to visit the temple on the very day that Mary and Joseph took Jesus there to be dedicated. I believe that we should realize that a close walk with God is necessary to hear His voice and to enjoy time with Him every day. In doing this we begin to realize that He is the answer to our world’s many issues and the violence and hatred that is dividing our world and creating such havoc. We will also begin longing to be with Jesus, for He is love and He is the best answer to world peace. There is no diseases where Jesus is, so our anxious thoughts about Covid and any other disease that may stump the medical experts of this world, will all be left behind when we go to be with Jesus. Friends, I have only given you enough to whet your appetite and help you conclude that better is one day with God, than a lifetime here on this earth. You will be inclined to worship, love, adore and appreciate the things that you long for. I pray that you will be encouraged to accept and long for the things of Christ every day, versus anything this world could possibly offer you.

 

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The Holy Spirit impelled Simeon to visit the temple so that he could encounter the child Jesus – the One he had been longing to come and save his people! I pray that God will impel us to do those things that please Him each and every day so that He may be lifted up and honored!

 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have been so gracious to us and given us so much to look forward to here on earth, and especially when we join with You and the Father in heaven. May we become so overjoyed about our homecoming that others might be tempted to learn about and understand our anxious minds. I pray that they might become curious enough to want to know the Savior that my readers and I adore. Please Lord, continue to melt the hearts of those we love so that they might lose sight of the things of this world as they look heavenward. Thank You for providing the way for us to see You one day soon. We long for that day! AMEN!

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