Simeon: A Promise Kept

"And then he took Him into his arms and blessed God and said, 'Now Lord, You are releasing your bond-servant to depart in peace according to your word." Luke 2:28-29

I wonder how Simeon lived his life, wondering day to day “Is this the One? I think he lived as he always did, serving God in the Temple. God made him a promise and Simeon knew that God doesn’t lie and that was enough for him.

"So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us."
Hebrews 6:17 & 18

And when that day came I can only imagine the unspeakable joy that must have filled His heart. Here at last was the Messiah!

"For my eyes have seen Your salvation."  Luke 2:30

Simeon was not surprised that salvation came as a baby. He read the scriptures and believed them. Simeon lived and worked and slept; confident, assured that God’s word would come to pass.

"For a child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders and His name will be ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of peace."  Isaiah 9:6

God made us a promise too. And I believe with all my heart that God,who doesn’t lie, will keep His promise. Will I worry I might miss it or that it’s not intended for me? I think not.  I pray I will live my life loving and learning, sharing and working until the day that Jesus my Saviour, whom Simeon saw as a baby; calls me home.

Are you waiting? What are you doing in the mean time? Are you sharing the Good News? Are you teaching your children and grandchildren who Jesus is and the hope that we have in Him? Are you living in a way that honors Him? Are you clothing yourself with dignity and truth? Is your hope in the promises of God? I remember a saying that I’ve heard many a Christian say “Here, there or in the air." Are you waiting? Are you ready? Jesus is coming!

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."  John 14:3

Maranatha!

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."  Hebrews 10:23

by Eve Montano

 

Courage in the Circumstances

"Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?" Esther 4:14b

E is for Esther the beautiful queen, 
Born to reign over Persia with Xerxes the king.

S is for subtle, the danger she’d find,
What would she do in this battle of the mind?

T is for terror, her people would die .
Nothing could stop it--if she didn’t try.

H is for Haman, who hated the Jews.
He planned to exterminate each one from his view.

E is for evil and eagerness, too,
that threatened God’s people--
What could they do?

R is for righteous, that was Mordecai’s life.
He trusted God to use Esther, to put an end to the strife.

For “such a time as this” 
Esther “stepped up to the plate”,

Will we do the same or is it too late?

No! Never too late! 
God’s will, will be done.

So put on your “gospel” shoes, Ladies...
We have a race to run!

by Darla J. Short~ Lewis 🌺

Keeping A Quiet Heart

"In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, 'Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you." Luke 1:26-28

We see her first, that little Mary, as a simple village girl in a poor home in an out-of-the-way place. Suddenly the light changes. A dazzling stranger stands before her with a puzzling greeting. He calls her "most favored one" and tells her the Lord is with her. She is stunned. She discerns at once that this has to do with things infinitely larger than herself, far beyond her understanding.

The angel does not weigh in immediately with the stupendous message he has been sent to deliver. He first comforts her. "Don't be afraid, Mary." ...Mary... She is not a stranger to him. He is assuring her that he has the right person. He explains what she has been chosen for--to be the mother of the Son of the Most High, a king whose reign will be forever.

She has one question now. Not about the Most High. Not about the Eternal King. But, about motherhood. "How can this be? I am still a virgin!" 

He does not really explain. He simply states a mystery: "The power of the Most High will overshadow you." He goes on to tell her of another miraculous pregnancy, that of her cousin, Elisabeth. "God's promises can never fail," he says. They won't fail for you, Mary. Rest assured.

How does she respond? At once she is available to her Lord. She knows the visitor is from Him. Whatever the mystery, whatever the divine reasons for choosing her, whatever the inconveniences--even disasters which she may be required to face--her answer is unequivocal and instant. "Here I am. I am the Lord's servant. Let it be as you have told me." Anything, Lord.

We see her next with Elisabeth. They don't sit down over coffee and chatter about what people are going to say. Mary sings her song of gladness--of complete acceptance of the gift--of trust in the Mighty One.

We see her sweating in the cold of the stable, putting her own life on the line, as every mother must do, in order to give life to somebody else.

We see her with the tough shepherds, breathlessly telling their story of the glory of the Lord.

We see her in the temple handing over her infant to old Simeon, to whom the Holy Spirit has revealed the child's amazing destiny. But, to Mary, he gives the far deeper message of suffering. Her son will suffer. He will be a sign which men reject. She, his mother, will suffer. She will be pierced to the heart. No question or answer from her is recorded. We know only her quietness.

We see her, once again in Bethlehem, with mysterious travelers from the East bringing their lavish gifts. She says nothing as they kneel before the child she holds in her arms.

We see her on the round-about trip to Egypt because Joseph has been given a secret message in a dream. She does not balk. She does not argue. She is quiet, treasuring all these things, pondering them deep in her heart.

In Scripture Mary has no witness, no limelight, no special recognition of any kind. Whatever she comprehends about her son, she knows He was given to her. She remembers how. She treasures all this. She ponders things in the quietness of her heart.

I thank God that unto us a Child was born. I thank Him also that there was a pure-hearted woman prepared to receive the promised Child with all that motherhood would mean. I thank Him for her silence, her humility, her faithfulness, her quiet heart.

I want that Mary heart. The deep guarding in her heart of each event...mulling over its meaning... waiting in silence for His word to her. Not Mary HAD a little lamb, but Mary WAS a little lamb--wholly dependent on her Shepherd. I want to respond in unhesitating obedience as she did. Willingly, quietly, steadfastly in the midst of the raucous, noisy, busy, contentious world around me. The world that Jesus loved.

A quiet heart is content with what God gives--and especially with who God is. It is enough. All is grace. 

by Connie Grosse

Generational Influence

"I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you." 2 Timothy 1:5

Mama Paolita

Every Saturday she came, her shopping bag full of goodies--chocolate bars, chocolate layer cake, orange slices, marshmallow cookies or jelly beans. Sometimes there would be new clothes she made herself, or shoes. If we were sick with a fever or a sore throat we’d hide. We knew she had a needle in that bag, to give us a penicillin shot. Yet, somehow she always fooled us and we’d end up--bottom up and the quick pinch!

Mama Paolita, my father's mother, was bigger than life. She was always dressed to the hilt, hair perfectly coiffed, nails done. It didn’t matter that she had just taken two different subways to get to us, she came looking none the worse for her travels. She was bossy and I remember a time I sassed her, telling her she wasn’t my mother. “I’m your grandmother and that makes me two times your mother!” “Huh” was all I could say. Oh my.

I smile when I remember I always wanted to be just like her--beautiful, fearless, and independent. She had a reverent awe of Jesus Christ, her Savior. We wouldn’t dream of speaking casually of Him in front of her. 

One day I found out what made her the way she was. Tears streamed down my face as my Mama Adela (my mother's mom) told me her story. My dad’s mom was an orphan, hired out at the age of nine as a servant. At the age of ten, she was raped and bore a baby boy, my uncle Ricky. My grandmother refused to be a victim. I’m not sure how or when, but she became a midwife and delivered babies in the backwoods of Puerto Rico. She learned how to give shots and vaccinated many against Tuberculosis.

When she saved up enough money she moved to New York City with my uncle David and my dad. She worked hard, she loved without restraint (married three times) and she made no excuses for who she was.

She was kind and gentle, yet strong. She loved to laugh and did it often. She was generous with her time and money and she taught her son, Josue G Cruz, to work hard, take responsibility for what he did and to love the Lord his God with all his heart, mind, soul and strength--to trust Him no matter what. It wasn’t Gods fault when bad things happened--He stood with you when they did. She knew that first hand. 

I’m glad I remembered her today. There is a new generation that needs to know about this ancestor who shaped the man they know as Popi. She was my superhero when I was growing up and, at least in my eyes, the original Wonder Woman!

Grandparents, don’t think you have little or no influence on your grandchildren. I’m a Christian because my parents prayed for me, trusting in the Lord to soften my heart. My father believed in Jesus Christ because his mother’s faith in the face of adversity made her who she was.

"Hear o Israel the Lord Our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children you shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way when you lie down and when you rise."  Deuteronomy 6:4 - 7

by Eve Montano

Ultimate Love

"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8

Beaten, broken, scarred, close to death –Stumbling, falling until someone had to carry His burden. Nailed to the cross--arms open wide in surrender,
A crown of thorns--King of the Jews was on the sign above His head.
“Father; forgive them--they know not what they do”
Darkness fell and our sins held Him until He cried “It is finished!”
Droplets of blood flowed from His body onto the ground.

Beaten, broken, scarred, close to death - Stumbling, falling under a burden too heavy to carry, Struggling forward, sin nailed into our hearts;
We fall; arms opened wide in surrender
“GOD! Jesus, please take my life, my will, my way, my sin!
Forgive me, I didn’t know!”

With each word, the sin that nails us is pulled from our hearts. Chains and shackles of pride and compromise fall away. We lay face down, barely breathing. The Risen Saviour touches a tear-stained face with His nail-scarred hands. He lifts our burden and looks into the eyes of His beloved child and says “It is finished; your sins are washed away by my blood”

Yesterday as I prayed I couldn’t help but see the parallel of a body beaten and broken for us and lives that are beaten and broken in need of a Saviour

Let the light of Jesus shine into your life. Read the Bible. Ask questions and find out how to deliver the burden of your sins into the hands of Jesus.

"We love because He first loved us."  1 John 4:19

by Eve Montano