Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said…
How have you seen God working in your life recently? Has it been through healing a sickness in the life of a family member or close friend? Or maybe seeing God reconcile a broken relationship with someone from your past that involved a lot of forgiveness, grace, and transformation that only Christ can do? Or has one of your younger family members initiated the steps to become baptized at Sunday’s church baptism?
We have lots of prayer requests and seek God in so many things, but what happens after God answers your prayers according to His good and perfect will? Sometimes we forget to give praise and glory to God. In today’s passage we see this man Simeon who was just and devout, waiting on the Lord, and whom the Holy Spirit was upon. So Simeon was able to see and hold Jesus, to see the coming Savior for the Gentiles and God’s people, Israel. Simeon held Jesus and immediately praised God for fulfilling His promise.
In our lives today, let us come before our Heavenly Father praying all the time with all kinds of requests and petitions, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints (Eph. 6:18). Then as we see God answer those prayers and requests, let us be quick to praise the One who does this (Ps. 118:21). Let us also look for opportunities to testify to God’s goodness and grace in our lives through telling others of what He has done. As we prepare to celebrate as a church body this weekend with the 11 individuals who are making the public profession of their inward decision to follow and make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior through baptism, we can praise God with prayers and shouts of worship as we see lives being transformed by Jesus. How will you live your life this week as a prayer of praise to the King of Kings.