Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took [Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

Last summer, I visited the British Museum in London. It was beautiful, and hard, knowing the stories of our world that were gathered there. At the end of my time, I stumbled upon the Enlightenment Exhibition–it stopped me dead in my tracks. It was expansive and detailed. It housed feathers and teacups and rocks and letters and art, all mixed together yet disguisedly organized. I remember this exhibit so profoundly because it was like nothing I had ever seen, and while it represents only a small segment of history, the items in that room tell of a profound ideological turning point for that area of the world.

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In today’s verse, Simeon finds himself in a situation of profound meaning, too, although much more so than my visit to a museum. Simeon had been told by God that before he died, he would see the Messiah promised to Israel. While Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were at a temple, the Holy Spirit prompted Simeon to go there, as well. It was here that Simeon held Jesus and praised the Lord for the deliverance of his promises.

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Simeon knew that this was the king who would later deliver salvation, and he was given the opportunity to hold that small, dependent infant while most of the world moved on, unaware. It is impossible to assume exactly what Simeon was feeling and thinking in that temple with Jesus and his parents, but we do know that Simeon held God. Interestingly, God did not promise Simeon that he would hold Jesus, but that he would “see” him. This makes me wonder if Simeon expected to see someone older, more self-sufficient. Perhaps this made Simeon’s experience of holding Jesus more intimate and holy than he could have imagined.

In this moment, Simeon experienced the joy of the Lord because he waited patiently for God’s promise and recognized Jesus’s significance. God wants this for us, too. He wants us to wait with expectation that he will deliver on his promises, and, when he does, he wants us to experience the great joy that comes with knowing it was God.

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He didn’t let Simeon hold the savior of Israel, but the Savior of the entire world. He didn’t show Simeon a grown, powerful man walking in the distance or have him read of great stories in an old museum; he let him nestle an innocent baby boy in his arms, filling Simeon with joy. God reveals time and time again that his work is sweeter than we could ever hope for.

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Simeon proves that when we simply recognize Jesus’s significance, we are able to know joy - a sure-footed, comforting confidence that God moves in everything.

Lord, thank you for gifting me your son. He is the Savior of the world, and because of your goodness, you not only show him to me, but let me know him intimately. As I go about my days, help me recognize the great significance that is in everything I do, see, and hear. I want to have a heart filled with joy for you. Amen.