How many people had the blessed privilege of holding baby Jesus in their arms other than Mary and Joseph? How many people held baby Jesus AND even got their name and that event written about in the bible? Luke writes about some uniquely spectacular events involving some unusually remarkable people to point us to the historical Savior Jesus. One of those events and people is Simeon in Luke 2:22-35. Simeon is described as “righteous and devout…and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25). In Luke 2:28 it says, “then he took Him into his arms…”. Imagine that! Simeon got to hold baby Jesus, the Divine Son of God, in his arms! Simeon is the only person recorded by the gospel writers who has this outstanding honor. He goes on to say he can now die and go to be with God in heaven because he has seen the salvation of God (Luke 2:30).
We might not be able to hold baby Jesus in our arms but we are able to hold Jesus as Savior and Lord in our hearts. When put our faith in His saving blood and by faith submit to be buried with Him in baptism we rise up to a new life with Jesus. We walk by faith through this life all the way to eternal glory with Jesus right by our side.
Maybe we don’t get to hold baby Jesus in our arms but we do get to hold Him in our hearts. You can’t beat that! And the important thing is not that we hold baby Jesus in our arms as He comes into this world; rather, what is critical is that we are safe in the arms of Jesus when we leave this world.
Read Luke 2:22-35 and listen to another awesome Michael Card song entitled: Now that I’ve Held Him in My Arms.
Luke 2:22-35
And when the days for their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young doves.”
And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
“Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:
A light for revelation for the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”