Today’s scripture: Luke 2:21-39 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Melody Merida):
I’ve recently become obsessed with a television show called Downton Abbey on PBS. The show revolves around an early twentieth century English home occupied by a Lord, his family, and their army of servants. At the outset of the show we learn that the family’s home and fortune are destined to be lost unless the eldest daughter marries someone noble so that her husband can be made the heir. You see, the Lord has three daughters and no sons; at that time in history women were not able to be named heirs, only males could officially be recognized.
Midway through the first season the Lady of the house becomes quite unexpectedly pregnant and there is a feeling of joy that most everyone at the Abbey shares at the thought of the family fortune perhaps staying in the family after all. As it turns out, the baby is a boy but that news is only revealed after the mother suffers a horrible miscarriage. With this, the Abbey is descended back into gloom and despair. The great expectations placed upon that child were never to be realized.
Like that unborn child at Downton Abbey, as we see in the scripture reading for today, so too did Jesus have a world of expectations placed upon him before he had even uttered a word. The hopes of Simeon, Anna, and future generations of people rested on those tiny baby shoulders. Let’s face it; there is a lot of pressure in being touted as the “Savior of the world.”
Most of us probably take it for granted, on some level, that Jesus was THE great expectation, but what about the expectations we have of ourselves? Do you live your life like YOU are a great expectation? Only you can do what you’ve been put on this earth to do; only you possess the talents and skills that you do. There is no one like you on the planet and there never will be. You too are destined for greatness in some capacity.
I wonder what the world would be like today had Jesus not accepted Simeon’s prophecy as true about himself. Just like Jesus, the world cannot do without you living into your potential. So rather than running from the Simeons who try to tell us what great things we are destined to do, let’s be like Jesus and embrace that call on our lives to live up to the expectations God has for us.
Thought for the day: You are the heir to the kingdom of God; may it someday be said of you that you lived into your destiny!
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.