The Larger Mission of Love - Advent 2025

This devotion was written by Anna Grace Legband and is entitled, “Brought To The Light: Advent For Those Who Need It.” Anna Grace Legband is a contributing author at Seedbed.com. We hope you will be encouraged.

Luke 2:25-35:

“At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” 

Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” 

Consider This

Our final Christmas song comes after the birth of Jesus, in response to the infant Jesus being brought into the temple.

Simeon is described as a “righteous and devout” man. His name, meaning “he who listens” or “he who hears,” reflects a life of attentiveness to God’s voice. His entire story is a testimony to the Spirit’s work. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, he waited faithfully, having been assured that he would not die before seeing the Lord’s Messiah. Simeon didn’t happen upon the temple courts by chance—he was led there by the Spirit.

For Simeon, the “consolation of Israel” was not merely a theological idea; it was the longing of his heart—the hope for redemption, freedom, and the restoration of God’s people. The work of the Holy Spirit in Simeon’s life shaped his longings and positioned him to respond to the presence of Jesus when He arrived.

As Simeon held the infant Jesus, he declared: “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

In this declaration, Simeon recognized that Jesus’s mission extended far beyond Israel. He proclaimed that this child was not just the consolation for Israel, but the Savior of all nations, the light that would reveal God’s salvation to the Gentiles—to people like us.

These words were spoken in the temple, the heart of Jewish worship and life. To declare that the Messiah had come and would not just save Israel but also be a light of revelation to Gentiles was significant. Simeon’s worship caused Joseph and Mary—already aware of who Jesus was—to marvel at the magnitude of His mission.

Entering the temple courts, Jesus’s presence carried profound implications for the Jewish people within its walls and the Gentiles outside of it. Simeon’s song reminds us of a vital truth about Christmas: While it is a profound celebration for those who know and love Jesus, it is even more important for those who don’t.

Simeon’s life, shaped by the Spirit’s work and marked by his readiness to recognize God’s presence, challenges us to live with the same attentiveness and mission. My guess is, if you’re reading an Advent devotional, you likely have some degree of devout faith, similar to Simeon. Today, as you encounter and remember the person of Jesus, I want to invite you to join Simeon’s song, proclaiming Jesus as the “light for revelation” to the world.