Being

By Joy Adams

During this holiday season, like many of you, my attention was drawn to the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth.  I am amazed at the simplicity of His humble birth. As a baby and child, Jesus did nothing to earn our praise and yet His presence alone, His being, deserved and continues to deserve all the praise. 

I love the account of Simeon in Luke chapter 2.  The Bible tells us that Simeon was a man who was both righteous and devout and that God had promised Simeon that he would not die before seeing the Messiah.  Led by the Spirit, Simeon entered the temple courts on the same day that Mary and Joseph were taking baby Jesus into the temple to present Him before God.  Upon seeing Jesus, Simeon took the babe in his arms and declared:

“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 (NIV)

Jesus had not yet performed any miracles.  He had not yet healed any diseases, told any parables, or assembled any disciples.  It would be decades before Jesus would begin his public ministry and yet, Simeon was able to see Jesus for all that He was and is. 

I want to be like Simeon, a person who can see and have their soul satisfied, just by being in the presence of the Messiah. Instead, I often find myself restless, dissatisfied and always feeling like I am not doing enough.  This leads me to wonder if my focus has been too much on what God does, rather than who He is.  I have a feeling that if I can find my way back to being fully satisfied in who He is (not what He does), in Him, I may also rediscover who I am. 

I want to live from a place of being, rather than doing.  I want my identify to come from Him and who He is, not my completed to-do list.  I want to be like Simeon, a man who counted the promises of God as already completed and could bask in the presence of the Most High just because of who He is.

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Photo by Gareth Harper on Unsplash