Thankful for Our Redemption

It was the hand of our God that brought Simeon to the temple the hour that Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to be presented unto the Lord, as was required. But it was also the mercy of our God that caused a believing woman named Anna to be in the temple to see Simeon holding the Christ Child.

This woman, more than 84 years as a widow, and about 100 years old, was spiritually as well as physically very spry and active. She thanked God for the gift of His Son; for we read in Luke 2:30 , "And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."

Is it not amazing what control our almighty God has over all things? He preserved Simeon's life till Christ was presented in the temple. He let Anna go far beyond the fourscore years of the strong (Psalm 90:10 ), so that she might see our Savior, and He also preserved for us what she said about our Savior.

She saw redemption and thanked God for it. She saw our Redeemer. She did not know that Herod would try to kill Him, and that He would die on a cross; but she knew that God keeps His word, and that here was our Savior Who most assuredly would redeem us, that is, take away all our guilt. This in turn meant that she believed that He would bring to us all that God promised in His Word.

And now, as we begin to be farther and farther from the day in which we celebrated Jesus' birth, we have presented here to us our calling to thank God for giving us this Redeemer. It is well that we celebrate that day of the month; but our calling is to thank God every day of every year for this wonderful gift -- or present, if you want to call it that -- of a Redeemer, Who not only died for our sins, but is now at God's right hand preparing places for us in a holy, blessed kingdom. Do that every day, and not only once a year.

Read: Psalm 98

Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Zechariah 12; Zechariah 13:1-9 
Revelation 19:1-21 
Psalm 147:1-20 
Proverbs 31:1-7 
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Quote for Reflection:

…Curiosity doth rise almost always either of idleness or else of distrust; distrust is cured by meditating upon the promises of God. And his commandments do tell us how we ought to occupy ourselves and employ our studies. Therefore, he commandeth his disciples to wait for the promise of God, and to be diligent in executing their office whereunto God had called them. And in the mean season he noteth their great hastiness, in that they did preposterously catch at those gifts which were proper unto the Holy Spirit, when as they were not as yet endued with the same. Neither did they take the right way herein, in that being called to go on warfare, they desire (omitting their labor) to take their ease in their inn.    

- John Calvin