Don’t Miss the Messiah: Christmas Through the Eyes of Simeon
By Ken Nabi, Converge Great Lakes Regional President
Luke 2:25–37
On August 9th, 2024 I became a grandfatherPops. My first grandson, Peter Kenneth Nabi, was born in Green Bay, WI to my son and his wife. The next day, I was able to hold him for the first time and look into his sweet face. It was a powerful moment for which most people cannot adequately prepare. I was done and I immediately felt like Simeon in the temple courts when he first held the long-awaited Messiah, infant Jesus.
In Luke 2:25–37, we meet a man who understood longing better than most. Simeon was a righteous and devout follower of God who had spent his life waiting for the fulfillment of a promise.
Luke tells us that Simeon was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” and that “the Holy Spirit was upon him.” His entire life…his hopes, his expectations, his prayers…they were oriented around the day he would finally see the Messiah. Imagine the weight of that waiting. Decades of watching the world groan. Decades of wondering when redemption would come. And then… one ordinary day in the temple became the moment his heart had lived for.
When Mary and Joseph carried the infant Jesus into the temple, Simeon instantly recognized what thousands had failed to see. This wasn’t simply another child. This was God’s salvation wrapped in swaddling cloths.
Simeon took the baby in his arms, lifted his eyes, and prayed words that have echoed for centuries:
“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised,
You may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which You have prepared in the sight of all nations.”
— Luke 2:29–31
In that moment, Simeon held the fulfillment of every longing, every prophecy, every hope. Not a concept. Not a feeling. A person. Jesus.
Simeon’s response to Jesus gives us three powerful reminders this Christmas:
1. God Keeps His Promises—Even When the Waiting Feels Long
Simeon teaches us that waiting in faith is never wasted. God is never late. His timing is always perfect. Whether we are waiting for healing, direction, reconciliation, or hope, Christmas reminds us that God always fulfills His word.
2. Peace Is Found in the Presence of Jesus
Simeon’s song is a declaration that peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ. When he held Jesus, he said he could die in peace—not because his circumstances changed, but because his Savior had come.
3. Jesus Is the Light for All People
Simeon recognized that this child was not just Israel’s Messiah but the Savior for “all nations” (Luke 2:32). Christmas is good news for the whole world—for every tribe, tongue, and person longing for grace.
None of us will get to hold a baby in our arms like Simeon did, but the invitation is the same: receive the Christ who has come to us. Make room for Him in your heart. Pause long enough to see His presence in your life. Let His peace interrupt your hurry.
This Christmas, may we respond like Simeon—with open arms, with eyes of faith, and with a heart that declares:
“My eyes have seen Your salvation.”
And may that truth bring you deep joy, settled peace, and renewed hope in this season of celebration.
Merry Christmas from your partners in Converge Great Lakes—Christ has come!
Reflective Questions
Where am I tempted to rush through this season rather than pause and truly behold the presence of Jesus?
What longings, burdens, or hopes do I need to bring before Christ so I can experience His peace like Simeon did?
How can I intentionally make room—through Scripture, prayer, worship, or service—to prepare for Jesus afresh this Christmas?