Welcome back to our special Advent edition of the Daily Devos. Advent means “the arrival.” It is a way to look back and celebrate the Son of God coming to earth to be born as a baby in a manger while we also look forward to His second coming when creation will be redeemed and restored. Through December, we invite you to experience Advent in your own story.

Each week, we will discover a theme or a promise seen in the birth of Jesus that carries us through the “already not yet” as we await the arrival of His eternal Kingdom. This week, we are looking at the promise of PEACE.

Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God. 

The first Christmas has taken place. A baby boy is born of a virgin and wrapped in swaddling cloth in a manger. The child prophesied about in Isaiah is finally here! For many of us, this is where the Christmas story comes to a close, but as we look at God’s Word, we’re reminded that this is only the beginning of Jesus’ life and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

While there aren’t many passages written about Jesus’ early life and childhood, today’s passage takes place about 40 days after His birth. Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord and offer a sacrifice, upholding the Law of Moses. At the temple, we meet two people you may have never heard of who play a powerful role in the Christmas story - Simeon and Anna.

Simeon had both heard and believed the prophecies about the Messiah. Simeon was righteous and devout, and the Holy Spirit revealed that he would not die before he saw the promised Messiah. Anna was an elderly woman, at least 84 years old, who spent her days and nights worshiping at the temple, longing for the arrival of the Savior. Both of them, clung to the promises of God and found hope and peace in a centuries-old prophecy that they were longing to see fulfilled. Each of them encountered Jesus, recognized Him as the promised Messiah, and declared who He is – they began to share the good news with others!

Because of their devotion and trust in God’s promises, Simeon and Anna are two of the first people to encounter the Messiah and are recorded in God’s Word for us to read about today!

Like Simeon and Anna, we have been given promises. And like Simeon and Anna, we can wait well. When we cling to God’s promises through His Word and trust Him above all else, we can expectantly ask God to carry out His will in us and be ready to participate in His plan. Even as Christmas Day has passed, we can be reminded that Christmas is a proclamation that God honors His promises!

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• To know God’s promises, we have to know God’s Word. Take a moment for self-evaluation:
  
• How are you prioritizing spending time in God’s Word lately?
  
• Are you in a season of waiting on God’s promises? What can it look like for you to “wait well”?
  
• Who is someone that you can share the good news of God’s promises with over the next week?