When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him up in his arms. —Luke 2:27–28
The early church ascribed to Simeon the name Theodoches—“God receiver”—based on his reaction to the Christ child, how he “took him up in his arms.” He received Him.
As I have meditated on this passage, I’ve found myself wanting to be more of a God-receiver. I make it my frequent prayer to Him, asking Him to help me receive Christ today with greater joy, greater faith, greater humility. I want to mean with all my heart that it’s enough to me that I have Christ.
As long as you and I are here in these bodies, we will never escape the experience of living with longings and desires, waiting for things to happen and change. But I believe God’s way of navigating us through longings unfulfilled is to teach us how to keep receiving Him each day, just as we received Him initially.
May we never stop being a Theodoches, no matter how old or tired our waiting eyes become.
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The First Songs of Christmas: A 31-Day Advent Devotional: Meditations on Luke 1 & 2 ©2018 Revived Hearts Foundation
Scripture taken from The CSB
Make it Personal
What would “receiving Christ” look like as you move through the coming day?