Looking For Jesus

Guided by the Spirit, [Simeon] entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus . . . Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: “Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace.”

Luke 2:27-29, HCSB

A SOUTH AFRICAN DISCOVERED one of the world’s largest diamonds—the size of a small lemon. He wanted to ship it to the office of a London company as safely and quickly as possible. He sent a steel box with four men to protect it. When the steel box arrived, much to everyone’s surprise the diamond wasn’t there, but just a lump of coal. Three days later, by parcel post in an ordinary box, the diamond arrived in the London office. The South African figured that no one would pay any attention to an ordinary box.

Two thousand years ago, God came wrapped in an “ordinary box,” in a way no one expected and in a place that was as remote and off the beaten path as one could imagine. Who would ever look for God there?

Simeon did. He looked for God and found Him in the most ordinary place. Jesus’ parents presented Him at the Temple, as was customary, and with no fanfare. The only one who saw Him was a man looking for the Messiah, in the right place at the right time. Simeon was paying attention.

How many times have we looked for Jesus in the spectacular and missed Him in the ordinary? How often have we looked for Him among the elite and missed Him in a small child, or sought Him in ritual and missed Him in relationship? He is always present to us through His Spirit—it’s we who miss Him because we’re not looking.

BOTTOM LINE

Where are you looking for Jesus? Ask God to open your spiritual eyes to see Him at work around you.

Moment of Strength: Psalm 105:3-4