Character Building - Learning to Wait - Simeon

Character Building – Simeon- Learning to Wait

⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss^[d] your servant in peace. Luke 2:26-29 NIV

We don’t know how long Simeon had to wait for his answer to come.  Luke seems to indicate the Simeon was old.  Old enough that many of his friends would have already died.  Old enough that it looked like the promise may never come.  Old enough for discouragement to be a daily part of his routine.  Old enough that others were no longer believing in his story.  Much time had passed between the promise and the fulfillment.

But on this day, the Spirit moved him to go to the temple courts.  There was no sign over Mary and Joseph that pointed to their baby as the Messiah.  Nothing physically special surrounded this couple that were bringing the baby for dedication.  Yet, Simeon’s spirit lept inside him as he heard the cooing of the baby Jesus.  The Holy Spirit revealed that this baby will bring the peace of Israel.

Learning to wait

Waiting is a sign of maturity – But most of us don’t want to grow up.  As a baby we cry and our mama feeds us.  Then she makes us learn to wait for regular feeding times, which is a challenge to let the baby cry for a little while.  Feeding times to potty triaining are small signs that the baby is growing as they learn make their body wait.

Waiting is postponing immediate gratification – Esau was so hungry after hunting that he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.  Learning to control our desires is an essential element of waiting.  This is a reason that fasting is a regular exercise in a Christian’s life.  We learn to put our bodies subject to our will.  Our bodies must learn to wait, so the rest of our life can experience the joy of waiting.

Waiting is connected to the trustworthiness of the promiser -  The more credible the source of the one making the promise, the more you can be sure it is worth the wait.  We all know what it feels like for someone to promise they would be there, and didn’t show up.  We have learned the adage “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.”  But when a credible source tells us we can trust them, we learn to lean into that promise.  When we have a promise from God, He keeps His promises.

The clearer the message, the easier it is to wait and the greater reason to wait – Saul was told to not go into battle until Samuel arrived.  Because of the people, he started the sacrifice without Samuel.  The message was so clear that his disobedience cost him his reign.  Simeon hung on a very clear word from God.  You will not die until you see the “Messiah – the consolation of Israel”. 

Having heard clearly from God – stand and wait.  God is faithful.  He wants to provide for his children.  He doesn’t dangle a promise in front of us for sport.  He is committed to bringing the good things in your life to pass.  Faithful is he who calls you and He will also bring it to pass.

What do you suppose Simeon would say to you about waiting?

Praying for Open Doors

for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

 I Corinthians 16:9 ESV

One church experience is incredibly meaningful for Pam and I, although we love every person and opportunity that we have had.  I was serving as youth minister and we had lost a pastor due to moral failure.  It took a year before we agreed upon the new pastor for the church.  After serving for one year, he attended a conference in which he felt compelled to repent for limiting God’s power.  He would make time and space for God to move in our services. 

During the next year, we saw salvations, healings and deliverances.  Many times, people just responded from the weight of conviction of the Holy Spirit.  That was a season of an open door of effective ministry.  Sunday night services would last 3-4 hours with ministry and worship being the main components.  Words do not adequately explain how fun it was to see how God was going to move in our next service, I am thankful for the experience.  But, there was also great opposition.  So much disagreement, that the church went through a major split.  I somehow wish that had not happened.  Our adversary is always the devil, but he uses people to disrupt God’s ways.

Paul is closing his letter to the Corinthians.  He is expressing his desire to come to them and spend as much time with them as the Lord allows.  But, he is staying in Ephesus because there is an open door for effective ministry.  Every pastor knows those times when God’s hand is on a project and great favor is unleashed.  Pastors also know those times when hard work has not produced an open door.  Is it scriptural to pray for an open door?  Are there some principles that can help us?

Jesus holds the key – In Revelation John is writing to the church of Philadelphia.  He states that Jesus holds keys to doors that no one can open and opens doors no one can shut.  This means that we focus our prayers toward Jesus asking him to open doors that seem to be closed.

Jesus pattern in ministry – In Luke 10, Jesus sent 72 people out to do ministry.  They were instructed to pray, bless and preach the kingdom.  These were sent ahead of him, as he would then enter these towns for ministry after they returned.  His evaluation is important.  “I saw Satan falling like lightening from heaven.”  Jesus attributed the joy of their success to a removal of the reigning authority.

You don’t have because you don’t ask – We need to pray for Jesus to open doors for effective ministry.  I have a friend who works with YWAM.  On her first mission trip experience, they were told not to engage in evangelistic conversations.  The whole team was sent to saturate the place with prayer.  They would go to strategic places in the city, just to pray for God’s favor and blessing to begin to fall.  They would ask Jesus to tear down the walls that have been keeping people from coming to the Lord.  They would ask for the light of Christ to begin to shine in this place.  The next mission trip was for evangelism. The principle is clear.  Win the place in the Spirit through prayer, before effective ministry.

Clean hearts – Repentance is always attached to open doors.  The leaders must walk in humility before God.  The minister  recognizes that it could be their own sin withholding God’s outpouring of mercy.  Great revivals start with confession.  If there is a sin that is exposed in your church, God may be using it to uncover all hidden sin.  Let the Holy Spirit bring the proper conviction.  He loves pouring and flowing through clean vessels.

Clean land – There is also corporate repentance that may need to take place.  Injustices can cause a curse over the land.  God said to Cain, that his brothers blood speaks out from the land.  In America, think of the millions of innocent babies’ blood that cries out from our land.  At the least we can keep asking for mercy for our land.  In a church, you may need to repent for a former minister’s actions or for the way the church responded to a failure.

Opposition will be present – this is a spiritual battle.  Don’t think that a door is closing just because people oppose what is happening.  Just make sure that you remain humble as a leader through this process.  Pride will quickly close the door again.  Don’t think that you are above making mistakes or that others are just getting in your way.  Let God remove those who are obstacles, stay focused on loving people and preaching the kingdom.

Father, I pray for open doors in the ministries of your people.  Help us to stay clean through your blood that cleanses us from all sin.  Will you open doors for people to become saved?  Will you bring light into their darkness?  Will you help us let the Holy Spirit be free to be Himself in our midst, even if we have to adjust our time to meet His agenda?  Be lifted up oh you ancient gates, that the King of Glory may come in.  Thank you Jesus, Amen

Ask Me - Whispers from your Father, God

⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
    today I have become your father.
⁸ Ask me,
    and I will make the nations your inheritance,
    the ends of the earth your possession.  Psalms 2:7-8 NIV

At my Son’s, Jesus, baptism, I spilt the heavens for all to hear.

“You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

As his Father, it was my joy to answer the request that he would ask of me.

What limits you from approaching me to “ask” that I meet your need?   I have arranged for you to receive every good and perfect gift.  I have promised to take care of your most baxic needs.  My stipulation is that you must ask of me.  My son, told you that up until now you have asked for nothing.  When praying to me ask in His name, Jesus, that your joy would be full.

I acknowledge the difficulty in approaching me with your request.  You may think if I am busy running the universe, how can I have time for you?  You may also have a hard time discerning what my voice sounds like.  I  am gentle but direct.  When you believed in my Son, you were given spiritual ears to hear me.

Your relationship with your earthly father may also be creating a hindrance.  Perhaps he was distant and unapproachable.  He may have had a temper in which case you never were sure how he might respond to your request.  But I am not like your Father.  I sought you when you were unlovable to make you my own.  I am firm and expect obedience, but I stay with you throughout the process.

Ask me to help, you were not created to do life all by yourself.  Even in the garden, I provided the ripened fruit for Adam and Eve.  After they sinned, they now had to work.  But I bring the rain and the change of seasons that their work may be fruitful.  Ask me to be involved in your life and learn to trust in me.

Whispers from your Father, God