Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the Baby's mother, "This Child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." Luke 2:34-35
Scripture does not teach that showing love is easy. In fact, it teaches that, sometimes, it is the exact opposite. After all, God's love for us compelled Him to send Jesus, His only Son, to come to earth and die a sinner's death on a cross. This act must have been brutal to watch, but He did it because He loves us. As you think about your life and your parents or those like your parents, we must acknowledge that sometimes showing love and honoring parents can be difficult, especially those of us have parents who are difficult to love and honor. We must also acknowledge that we are called to honor and love our parents even when it is hard.
Luke 2 reminds us that many of us have parents who loved us when we were difficult to love. This was even true for Jesus. You see, for Mary, loving Jesus must have been so painful because she had to watch all of the sufferings He faced. Luke 2 tells us that when Jesus was an infant, Mary was told of the pain and grief she would feel as she watched Jesus persecution and brutal death on earth. When Mary and Joseph went to take Jesus to the temple shortly after His birth, a prophet named Simeon met them there. During their interaction, He looked at Mary and told her that as a result of Jesus' persecution, "the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul" (verse 35). In other words, loving Jesus was not going to be easy for Mary as she would watch Him suffer. The call to love, however, is not meant to be easy.
Perhaps this entire week, as you have been thinking about honoring your parents, you've been thinking about how difficult your relationship with your parents is. Your challenge today is to love anyway. Demonstrate love, care, and honor to them even when it may be difficult. We recognize that some of you reading this may have broken relationships with your parents and have been deeply wounded by them, physically or emotionally. Please know that loving them does not condone any physically or emotionally harmful behavior. We are praying for you today and encourage you to seek help if needed to take steps towards healing.
Today, your call is to spend time honoring your parents or those who are like parents to you. Write a letter to them to say, "thank you," for everything they have done for you. This may be hard if honoring your parents is particularly difficult for you, but we encourage you to do it anyway. Your simple gesture may have a profound impact on them, and your heart may be softened towards them in the process. Then pray for your parents. Ask God to work and move in their lives and to use you to show them how much He loves them.
Read Luke 2:22-40 (NLT)
Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people.He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
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