Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
I was once Simeon.
Caught up in a world of distractions, chasing after things that did not matter.
Waiting for the sign … longing for the light.
It’s not that I had no faith at all. It’s just that I had boxed myself into a life of busy-ness, where it seemed unlikely – even impossible – that God would care enough to reach out to a man too busy chasing the wrong dreams.
I remember the day vividly.
I had just read a book … it was one of those historic fictions, where the author took the Bible and rewrote it in the style of a good novel.
I was fascinated. I’d never truly delved into the depths of the big picture … you know, the BIG PICTURE of our salvation.
I remember reading those final pages on my back patio. I closed the book, laid it on my lap and looked to the sky.
Is this really true, Lord? Is this really something I can believe?
At that moment, my “Simeon sign” came to me in the form of a hummingbird – a tiny little bird that typically zips by so fast that the human eye can barely glimpse.
On this day – at the very moment I was seeking the light of my own salvation – God sent this little bird to me. It flew right into my personal space, floating mere inches from my eyes.
It lingered there for what seemed an eternity.
I could barely breathe.
So many times I had asked God for a sign in my life. Usually it was during a time of desperation or guilt or anger. And so many times that sign had not come.
But on this day, after I had invested so many hours unlocking His plan through the pages of that book, I suppose God felt I was finally ready.
I had waited long enough.
He sent me the comfort I needed at that very moment.
Of course, He had no doubt tried before. He had always been there, sending signs in my direction.
It was I that had not been ready – unwilling, perhaps – to pick up on those signs.
Until that day …
Are you searching? Are you asking? Is your heart ready to see the light?
I pray that God will one day send you a hummingbird … and that you will not be so busy as to miss it.
