Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Luke 2:25-26
We have recently celebrated the birth of Jesus and before we know it we will be remembering his ministry, death and resurrection. The Bible is rather quiet about Jesus’ life as a child, yet Luke does give us a glimpse of Jesus as a baby and a young child, through the eyes of the people who encountered him.
One of these people was a man named Simeon. He was probably and elderly man who deeply believed in the promises of God. He had been assured by God that he would live to see the coming salvation. One day he was led to the temple, where one small family among the many there drew his eye. Deep within him, Simeon knew that the promise he had held on to for so long was now coming true in the baby in front of him.
How do we feel about the promises of God? Do we hold on to them with the same deep commitment of Simeon? How would the world and the future look to us if we did?
God of Simeon
We thank you for all the blessings that you bestow upon us
We thank you for all the promises that you have made
Promises of light in the darkness
Promises of hope in a world of despair
Promises of a peaceful future in your presence
Help us to hold on to your promises
In the good times and the bad times
Help us to know when your promises are fulfilled
That we may praise your name
Amen
You can download a pdf of this Prayer for the Week here
Weekly Prayers for January 2020 by Revd Claire Rawlinson
Picture – old man, Photo by Donald Teel on Unsplash
