DAY TWENTY (20 DEC 2020) - COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS
“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.”
Luke 2: 29-32
Extra readings: Luke 2: 25-35
The more you focus on Christmas, the more youthink about Easter. Are you that person? The more you look at Jesus' birth, the more youyearn to trace again that path of his generous life, bitter death, and glorious resurrection. You’re not alone in this regard. With you, on the same page, is Simeon, the man who prayed the prayer quoted above in our main reading for today. Go ahead and read the whole story.
Simeon was a man devoted to God, a man who had a special promise from God. God had told Simeon that a promise He made all the way back in Genesis 3, a promise He reminds His people of in every book of the Old Testament, would be manifested in Simeon's lifetime. He would have the incredible privilege of seeing God’s age-old promise being fulfilled in his lifetime. God gave him a promise concerning a promise. When Simeon saw Jesus, what did he call him? God's Salvation - which is also closely aligned with the meaning of the name “Jesus”.
And that is the point: the birth of Jesus has everything to do with God's plan of salvation. Don't miss it. Don't miss the central meaning of Christmas: God has made a way where there was no way so that instead of death, those whobelieve in Him can have life. Christmas is about life, and life everlasting.
Prayer
God, I am Your loving servant, and I live in Your peace because I have received Your promise: the Savior You sent into the world. You, Jesus, are the glory for your people, and the Revelation Light for all people everywhere.
Here’s how to do this devotion as a family
