Keeping promises is tricky business. We like the concept. But sticking to our word can prove a bit more difficult. As kids, we try setting ourselves up for a better success rate by creating failsafes, like the infamous “pinky promise.” Because, as everyone knows, if it’s a pinky promise, it can’t be broken.
I know some people who are really good at keeping their word. Their promises aren’t unrealistic because they recognize their own limits, but the ones they do make are meant to make a difference. I promise to support you in any way I can. I promise to hold you accountable. I promise to let you know if there’s anything you can do for me. These statements reflect more about the person’s commitment than their ability to carry it out. After all, even the best of friends can’t keep a perfect record.
Simeon’s story is a beautiful account of someone who not only received a very personal promise from God, but also had the joy of seeing it fulfilled during his lifetime. He is depicted as a sort of spiritual elder, being ”righteous and devout” and “looking forward to Israel’s consolation” (Luke 2:25). With tenderness, we see Simeon take the object of his affection into his arms and say to the Lord, “You can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. For my eyes have seen your salvation” (vv.29–30). He was one of the first to recognize Jesus for who He really was.
Can you imagine the joy, as well as the relief? The Holy Spirit’s promise was that Simeon would pass away only after seeing the Messiah, and he responded to this promise with trust (v.26). Although seeing the Messiah with his own eyes didn’t mean he was doomed to die the next day, it did mean God’s promise had been fulfilled. Simeon’s trust in this promise had been rewarded. Even if he didn’t live long enough to see how his words of prophecy played out, he was blessed to know that the consolation of Israel was here.
The same was true for widowed Anna, the prophetess who was “well along in years” (v.36). She stayed in the temple, serving God day and night. Though it is unlikely she lived to see the redemptive story of Jesus unfold, we do know she joyfully bore witness to the Christ child in her advanced age (vv.36–38).
Remembering that God is the one who makes and keeps the biggest promises—including the ones that will outlast us—helps to strengthen our hope for today. In what ways do you need to trust in Him today? Grab hold of His promises. Even when we can’t see the full picture, God is our great Keeper of Promises.
Jesus is the only way to true unity.
KARA: Yes, indeed, we need to listen more diligently to the voices of the oppressed — not doubt! And there is a way to demonstrate righteous indignation as Jesus did — I agree. However, we need to be careful to take sinful anger responses and equate them with righteous ones. A difference I see in Jesus’ response is that while he did flip tables to make his point, he did not kill anyone and he did not steal from anyone. In other words, his anger wasn’t about his personal gain, but about defending truth and righteousness for the glory of his Father. is this the motive behind the violence we are seeing today?
As a sinner who has suffered my own kind of oppression, I very much understand the anger and hurt which boils up in a person. I made some very foolish sinful choices as my eyes got off the hope of the gospel. In his graciousness the Lord has forgiven me and washed my sins away! Therefore, I don’t come into this conversation about oppression with self-righteousness, but with a heart to want others to repent of sinful ways of responding to the oppression while we fight together for justice and reconciliation the gospel way. I truly believe that racism (or any other kind of oppression) cannot be truly eradicated from people’s hearts without being born-again through faith in Christ. Not everyone believes this.
And as I stand on this truth, I also state that daily I am praying for wisdom of a greater understanding of how this is to be enacted practically. I do not profess to know all there is on this topic (or any other), but ask the Lord for a heart ready and willing to learn each step of the way.
So well said, Diana!
I think we all need to pause and ask WHY there is “anger rule through violence and crime”. We have an oppressed people whose voices have not been heard and whose blood is being poured out in our streets. An African Proverb states “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth”. Jesus flipped over tables in the temple to get attention, we have not been paying enough attention so the tables are getting flipped over so we finally take a look at what in the world has been going on.
I have struggled with infertility just shy of four years. I do feel that I will have a baby, but it’s God’s timing. Throughout this journey I have cried out many times asking for reminders of this promise. Just recently I prayed this again, and reading this was the reminder I needed. Things come to fruition at just the time they are intended. The waiting can be agony, but God always shows up and always reminds me. Sometimes it’s a whisper and sometimes it’s loud. I’m thankful He always follows through.
We have been on the same journey for about the same length of time. I just started IVF and in the midst of this, my husband lost his job. I’m struggling with not knowing how this will work out, but I’m trying to trust that if God brought us this far, He will see it though.
Praying that you will see God’s miracle show up soon and you take heart you aren’t alone!
Sorry to hear of your infertility and the inevitable pain that it brings. We had 3 miscarriages before our now 14 month old came along. It’s so hard when you see people around you seeming to pop out multiple babies before you even have one or someone gets pregnant who isn’t even wanting children! God does see you. During our journey of wanting to have kids I was always encouraged by the “old” women in the Bible that God allowed to have a baby after many years of barrenness. I think in pain you totally have to reorient yourself to what it means that God is sovereign, good, all-powerful and yet here you are without something that he affirms as good and part of his will for his people (to be fruitful and multiply!). No neat answers but He offers himself to us.
Hi Aubry
We had a 6yr journey with infertility.
I think the waiting got sweeter over time as my faith in infertility started as a walk on water to a realisation over time that I could trust God and he was a firm foundation to stand on and trust with my hopes, decisions, dreams,failures and tears.
I don’t believe that the be fruitful and multiply commandment still stands in the same way as it was the way in the OT God grew his people he loved as a nation. We now have the New Testament “go out and make disciples of all people”.
I do however love the stories of all the barren women in the OT because rather than always giving you their reason for infertility we are told “God opened their womb” it’s a great reminder God can and does the impossible no matter the hurdle.
You are bearing fruit sister by trusting Jesus. He is growing you so much. Some of the ways I reflect on growth are-
Being more outward focused and not just having friends in the same age and stage as me. I found it challenging to see alot of my friends be on the journey I desired and we intentionally prayed God would put new friends and people in our path to befriend and love.
Trusting and being able to testify that whether with plenty or in want God is all satisfying and the relationship most important to me.
Time to work further and enjoy our marriage. We never cried together so much or comforted each other or read so many great Christian books or just loved each other for better or worse.
2 Cor 1:3-11 xx
I’m so afraid that we are inviting tyranny by giving up our freedoms and losing equal protection under the law. We are giving up on the rule of law for the rule of some people who are in favor until they say the wrong thing. I pray to be like Simeon and Anna, to endure much until salvation and consolation comes.
This reading brought to mind a beautiful song by Michael Card, “Simeon’s Song.” Please check it out and be blessed! Ever thankful for our Promise Keeper!
I join you ladies who have expressed the heaviness of the tribulations of our time. It is good and right for us to lament these things and I’m grateful for the psalms which give us an affirmation of the lament of the saints as well as words to express it. As I consider our trials, whether it’s the pandemic, racism or any other systemic and/or personal ones, the one thing that is often missing in conversations about the need for change is the gospel.
Recently, I have read how some are accusing the church of being without action because of the emphasis on the proclamation of the gospel to be of first prominence. I would agree that if JUST preaching the gospel was the mindset, a change in perspective is needed. However, what I believe to be true is that without the gospel message of Christ’s person and work to be the power for hearts to be transformed, we will not see lasting true change.
Letting anger rule through violence and crime will not produce the righteousness of God. We don’t need just a little cleaning up; before Christ we are dead spiritually and are unable to combat the sin in our own hearts much less than that of others. We need to be born again in order to have our racism dealt with, our fears surrounding the pandemic to be abated and to be freed from any other sinful heart issue.
So, for all my sisters here, I pray that as we face these hard and heavy issues with others, we do so in remembrance that it is the Holy Spirit who ultimately awakens the spiritually dead. There are times we are to speak and there are times where we are to be silent. According to Scripture, as women we have different boundary lines than men. May the Lord reveal clearly to each one of us where those boundary lines lie. I see Anna’s devotion to the Lord through worship and service in the temple. She was given a notable outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a beautiful way. It’s my hope and prayer to be a like-minded devoted woman of God who is humble before him and filled by his Spirit!
This is so beautifully stated, thank you!
I needed to read that. Thank You