Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting 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 would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)
This Fall, my wife and I passed through the twenty-first anniversary of our family daycare. I have so many treasured memories of hearing what our Littles were thinking while they were with us, including my recent delight when a little boy asked me if I had heard of Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia!
As I have listened to countless stories from our little ones, some of what I heard was unique to each child, and some was universal to their age and development.
When I come to God’s word each morning, I often feel like a little child meeting with my Father in heaven. I have a sense that when I tell him how I am doing it is somewhat unique in the details, but also consistent with what we are all like at our various stages of maturing.
I also know that when I listen to Father speak to me through his word, I must differentiate between something that was unique to the person(s) involved in a scenario and the lessons that are universal for all God’s children.
As I pondered this in relation to Simeon, there was no doubt what was unique about his encounter with Jesus. No one else had the exact same opportunity to welcome the Christ and declare such personal praise to God.
However, I could also see what was applicable to me, partly in what Simeon expressed about Jesus that applies to all who believe in him, and partly in realizing that the unique way the Spirit revealed God’s will to Simeon illustrates the universal way God reveals his will to all his children.
I am exceptionally cautious when people tell me God spoke to them outside of Scripture. So many of these “God spoke to me” testimonies contradict what God has already told us in his word!
But the multitude of counterfeits do nothing to erase the fact that God still reveals the truth about Jesus to little children like me. From my first awareness of God at seven years old, to understanding the gospel at 12 and receiving Christ, to spending over 30 years living the “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” lifestyle, I have no claim to knowing God except that it has delighted the Father to make Jesus known to me.
What God ministered to my heart for others is to be relentless about laying my prayers on the throne of grace that God will speak into their lives so they can hear him. What I see God has done for people like Simeon, and what I have seen him do for a child like me, makes me long for people like you to know what God is teaching you from his word each day.
And, when you know you are getting to know God through his word, would you join me in praying for others to experience how “faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of Christ”, the scriptures we now have in the Bible? The next best thing to knowing Jesus Christ for ourselves is when we witness him bringing someone else to know him as well.
© 2024 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)
No comments:
Post a Comment