My Eyes Have Seen. . .

In that beautiful narrative we call the Christmas story, we are provided with the information regarding Joseph, Mary, and Jesus going to Jerusalem for Mary’s purification offering. It is there that we are introduced to Simeon, a man who is nowhere else mentioned in the Bible. We are told he was waiting for the Messiah and the Spirit of God was on him. He came to the Temple about the same time that Jesus’ parents came to dedicate Him and took Jesus in his arms.

Hear clearly his words in part – “for my eyes have seen your salvation.”  We do a lot of things at Christmas. Along with trees, and ornaments, and gifts, and celebrations, and carols, and lights, and sometimes elaborate productions of the entire event, and whatever else may be a part of our Christmas celebration, we must not miss the single focal point of Jesus’ birth, Christ’s coming, God’s gift, the essence of Christmas, which is: salvation has come!  We must, along with Simeon, see that! To fail here is to miss Christmas altogether! To ignore that Truth is to abandon any reason for all the rest of the celebration!