Peaceful Departure
By Rev. James May
After the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary brought him down to Jerusalem to be presented, or dedicated to serving God and offered up either the pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons as required by the Law of Moses. Mary had obeyed the Law of Moses when Jesus was circumcised on the 8th day, and then she had accomplished her own ceremonial purification by waiting 25 more days until the required 33 days had passed.
Everything about Jesus’ birth had to be performed exactly as the Law of Moses required. After all, He fulfilled the Law for us and took away its curse upon us for the offenses that we had done before we ever knew what the Law required.
As Mary and Joseph brought their newborn son to the temple, there they met an old man, very advanced in years, and very devout in his service to the Lord. The Bible says that Simeon was not only devout, but he was a just man, who waited patiently for the fulfillment of a promise that he had received from the Holy Ghost.
Lord, help us all to be like Simeon!
• He looked for the coming of the Messiah in pure faith!
• He dwelled in the presence of the Holy Ghost!
• He never faltered in his service to God and never failed in his patient waiting for the fulfillment of the promise that he had received.
• And though he was nearing the end of his days upon this earth he knew that there was still an anointing and a calling upon him that he could not ignore.
• He walked each day in faith, with anticipation that he would see the Messiah of Israel!
Simeon wasn’t in Bethlehem! He didn’t hang out on the hillside with the sheep. He didn’t travel with the wise men. He stayed in his place, doing the thing that God had called him to do, and when his moment arrived to know who Jesus was, he was right where he needed to be to receive his promise.
Luke 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Simeon was so full of the Holy Ghost that he walked in the Spirit wherever the Spirit led him.
What if, on this one particular day, Simeon had decided that he wouldn’t follow the leading of the Holy Ghost?
What if, for just one day, Simeon would have said, “I’ve followed the Spirit every day, and still no answer to my promise from God. I’m going to do “my thing” and go try to find my own way!”
What if, for just this one day, Simeon had given up on God?
He might never have seen Jesus. He might not have received his promise. The Holy Ghost had promised Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah, but did that promise rely upon Simeon’s faithfulness in following the leading of the Holy Ghost?
I believe that we can short circuit our own blessings if we walk away from where we should be in the Lord!
What has God promised you today? Has he promised you that your family would be saved before the end of their days?
Do you think that promise will be fulfilled for you if you don’t keep living for God faithfully? Do you think that those in your family will come to Christ without your’ faithful example? Who else will they follow?
Has God promised you that he will accomplish a great work in your life? And by the way, what is that great work? How will you know it when it comes to pass?
God’s ways are not our ways, and what we may consider a great work probably isn’t what God is thinking of anyway. The reason for that is that our own sense of pride gets in the way and all we can see are works that bring the praises of men and the recognition of being someone special or really spiritual in the church. Do we not know that any work that God accomplishes in our lives is a great work, for without God we can do nothing! Holy Spirit empowers us and He has come along side to help and lead us into all truth. No matter what you accomplish for the Lord, can we say that it is not great? Even if our work never receives the recognition or accolades of men, it is still great in the eyes of the Lord.
A life of faithfulness is just as great in the eyes of the Lord as a life spent in service on the mission field. Being faithful in the ministry, or in the place that God has placed you, is what God considers great! So many works that men do, that we consider great, are no greater than that of an intercessory prayer warrior that no one sees!
And even more than that, some works that men do that we might consider to be great, aren’t even accomplished by the work of the Holy Ghost. They are done by the influence and ability of men to draw a crowd or to do business. All that we consider great isn’t so great in the eyes of the Lord if it was done in a manner outside of his will.
I know that God’s promises cannot fail, but they are conditional in our lives upon our obedience and faithfulness.
His promises will come to pass, but will we experience it, or will it be because someone else did the work that God called us to do?
Simeon was faithful in his ministry in the temple; faithful to follow the leading of the Holy Ghost; and steadfast in his belief that God’s promise to him would not fail.
How many around him noticed his work for God? How many around him would say, “Look at old man Simeon. He can’t do much anymore. He is growing old and feeble. He should just retire, go home and rest, and enjoy the rest of his days.” They didn’t know the power of God that rested in Simeon. They didn’t see the power of the Holy Ghost that dwelled upon him and the anointing he had.
Simeon just kept on walking by faith and believing in the Lord’s promise that he would see the Messiah, and he knew that he would not leave this world until that was done, and until then, he had a work to do for the Lord.
I can only imagine the excitement in that old priest’s eyes when he saw Jesus come into the temple to be dedicated! The fulfillment of God’s promise the heart’s desire of Simeon rested upon that newborn baby that he held in his arms.
Only after Simeon knew that his work was done did he feel at peace with leaving this world. He had seen the Messiah!
Let me tell you that there are a lot of people who leave this world without being at peace with God. They feel as though there’s something more they should have done. They know that their lives were lacking somehow. The reason for that could be that they haven’t seen the Messiah or that they have lacked faithfulness in serving the Lord.
But when we get a sight of Jesus, and we know we’ve been faithful, and we know that we have been saved, and we know that our work on earth is done, how much more peaceful can it be for the soul to depart this life and go to be with the Lord?
It’s all a part of faithful service and unwavering faith in the promises of God.
As Simeon said,
Luke 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luke 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luke 2:31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
We are drawing to the close of 2018, and a New Year is fast approaching. Can we look back over the last year and say, “Let the year go in peace”. Your Word has been fulfilled in my life. I have done what you asked me to do, and I’ve remained at my post faithfully. You have prepared the way before me and I have walked without wavering in that way.”
I pray that we have all been as faithful in our calling as Simeon. I pray that we all have been at the right place, at the right time, led by the Holy Ghost, so that we have received all of the revelation of Jesus Christ that we can!
Lord, don’t allow this year to end without us having proven our faithfulness to your call upon our lives! Let us be able to depart this year of our lives in peace, knowing that you are still leading the way, and that your Word is being fulfilled in us!
You have given us Light through your Word to light our path. You have led us by your own Holy Spirit. You have given us your only Son, Jesus, as our Savior, so that we may behold your glory in the midst of the church!
Let us say as Simeon, “Now let me go into the New Year, into my future, wherever you may lead me, and let me go in peace, for I have seen thy salvation!”
Luke 2:33 And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him.
Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
Let the world look at you and marvel!
• Let them marvel that you are holding onto God’s hand in spite of all the “stuff” that has come against you this year; in spite of the sickness, the weakness, the inability to be perfect!
• Let them marvel at your faithfulness even when you waited a long time for the fulfillment of God’s promise in you, and maybe you’re still waiting because God has set the appointed time for a day that is yet to come.
• Let them marvel that you are not giving up on God and that you’re willing to remain faithful to the very end, no matter what the cost!
• Let them marvel that you refuse to take your eyes off of the eternal things of God and focus on the things of this materialistic world.
• Let them marvel that Jesus is all you think about, or talk about, and that you don’t care to be involved with whatever the world has to offer!
• Just let them marvel at your Love for Jesus and that you’re unwilling to compromise!
A lot of people may look at you and just shake their heads, or say that you’re too much of a dreamer, and that you need to face up to reality because your still trusting God and will never give up!
They can’t see what you see! They don’t know what you know because they can’t hear the voice of the Holy Ghost that is whispering in your ear and speaking into your heart! Let them marvel, but you just keep on serving God!
Some may even criticize your walk with God, and they may even say that you’re not real, or that you’re only serving God for what you can get out of it.
You know, they’re right!
• For only in God can I get eternal life!
• Only in God can I get peace in the midst of the storms!
• Only in God can I find rest for my soul!
• Only in God can I find a true foundation for living!
• Only in God can I find a real purpose in my life!
• It’s all in God, and in God alone, so yes, I serve him for what I can get out of him! I want all the loaves and fishes that my God is willing to give to me, for in his provision there is every blessing of life and liberty!
I marvel that anyone can live in this world without serving the Lord. Let men say or think what they will, but as for me and my house, ‘We will serve the Lord and we will remain faithful.”
I have seen the salvation of the Lord and there is nothing that can compare! And only in Christ can I say that I have perfect peace, and I can go on into my future in full confidence that what Christ has begun in me, he is well able to finish!
So bring it on, 2019!
I’m going in with the banner of the cross held high!
I’m washed in the blood and powered by the Holy Ghost!
Whom shall I fear when the God of Heaven is with me!
Let me leave 2018 in peace, for I have seen the Lord!
Amen
