Welcome to Day 154 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional! This series is about finding nourishment in the Word of God to get us through the day. In each devotional, I take a variety of scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses each) and build our understanding of what they teach via their context and connecting scripture. My goal is to help you understand how to be the type of human God created you to be.

Today’s passage is Luke 2:28-32. We’re going to talk about Simeon’s dedication to Jesus.

Luke 2:28-32

NASB	NLT	VOICE
28 then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,	28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,	28 Simeon took Jesus into his arms and blessed God.
29 “Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace, According to Your word;	29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.	29 SIMEON: Now, Lord and King, You can let me, Your humble servant, die in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,	30 I have seen your salvation,	30 You promised me that I would see with my own eyes what I’m seeing now: Your freedom,
31 Which you have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:	31 which you have prepared for all people.	31 Raised up in the presence of all peoples.
32 A light for revelation for the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”	32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”	32 He is the light who reveals Your message to the other nations, and He is the shining glory of Your covenant people, Israel.

When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple to be dedicated to God, they met Simeon. Simeon told them who their child would be through this long (often referred to as Nunc Dimmitis). The Jewish people were well acquainted with the Old Testament prophecies that spoke of the Messiah’s blessings to their nation. They didn’t always prioritize the prophecies that showed Jesus bringing salvation to the entire world, not just the Jewish people. Many thought that Jesus would just come to save the Jews. Luke made sure that his Greek audience understood that the Messiah had come to save all who believed – Gentiles as well as Jews.

Believe it or not, this mindset still happens today. There is a section of Christians who believe that Jesus will only come to them because of their “straight, white, wealthy, and male” background. It’s not a massive one, but it’s a loud one. They will share that people who live outside of those descriptors are living in sin and are going to hell. Yet, the salvation of Christ applies to all people: black, white, straight, gay, trans, male, female, wealthy, poor, and more. God looks at the heart of people above how they look. We’re not to judge people who don’t look like us. The judgment is left to God. We can guide and point things out but are not the final judge. The judgment is revealed through Jesus, and Jesus will manage the hearts of all that he can enter.

Acts 4:12

NASB	NLT	VOICE
12 And there is salvation in no else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”	12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which must be saved.”	12 There is no one else who can rescue us, and there is no other name under heaven given to any human by whom we may be rescued.

Many people react negatively to the fact that there’s no other name than Jesus to call on for salvation, as in there’s no other deity/divine being/etc. Yet this wasn’t decided on by the church, a specific denomination, or organized religion. This was mentioned in scripture by Jesus himself. With God’s designation of Jesus as the world’s Savior, no one else can be equal. We go back to the language of Jesus, who is “King of kings” or “Lord of lords.” There may be other gods, but no one is compared to Jesus, the human-divine image of Yahweh.

Christians are to be open-minded on many issues (hold on to this), but not about how people are rescued from their bondage of sin. No other religious teacher could die for our sins; no other religious teacher is God’s only Son, who came to earth; no other religious teacher has risen from the dead. We should focus on Jesus, the one God provided as the way to have an eternal relationship with himself. When we focus on Jesus, we find God’s true mission of love, compassion, justice, and righteousness. We find the parameters of what it means to live a godly life. We learn that God is the world’s judge, and each person will go before him to answer for our lifestyles. Now, let’s return to how we should be open-minded.

Our open-mindedness does not mean we must accept everything the world throws in front of us. It means that we shouldn’t just judge or look down upon our brothers and sisters if they live a lifestyle that doesn’t match ours. None of us are perfect. Yet, we can share the love and compassion of Jesus with those around us to help encourage and motivate each other to live out our goals of sharing the Gospel with the world through our words and actions and loving each other as Jesus loved us. Our judgment and condemnation of opposing lifestyles lead us to increase our pride and ego and think that we are better than those around us. Instead, we’re all imperfect people reaching perfection through the perfect sacrifice.

Isaiah 42:6-7

NASB	NLT	VOICE
6 “I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations.	6 “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations.	6 ETERNAL ONE: I am the Eternal One. By righteousness I have called you. I will take you by the hand and keep you safe. You are given as a covenant between Me and the people: a light for the nations, a shining beacon to the world
7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.	7 You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.	7 You will open blind eyes so they will see again. You will lead prisoners, blinking, out from caverns of captivity, from cells pitch black with despair.

Jesus’s mission on earth was to reflect God’s righteousness and be a light to all nations. Through Christ, we have the opportunity to share in that mission. God calls us to serve Jesus, demonstrating God’s righteousness and bringing his light. Remember, righteousness means living justly and faithfully with God, others, and the world. We do this by living according to God’s instructions, which are shown to us through Christ.

A right relationship with God leads to right love that produces right actions. The righteousness of God is all about how we treat his creation and share our worship with him. We must seek his righteousness before we can demonstrate it to others. We must allow his light to shine before we can be light ourselves. The work with God begins individually. When we become a part of God’s holy family, we can go out and live the life God created to live and follow the command Jesus calls us to do.

Isaiah 46:1-3

NASB	NLT	VOICE
13 I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion. And My glory for Israel.	13 For I am ready to set things right, not in distant future, but right now! I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel.	13 It won’t be long until I make things right; My salvation is getting closer and closer; it won’t be delayed. I am ready to rescue Zion, my Chosen place, and display My beauty and splendor to Israel, My chosen people.

Much of Isaiah speaks of a future deliverance when we live with God in perfect peace. God offers the future help and the tools needed for our present needs. His righteousness is clear, and we don’t need to wait for his salvation for us to receive. Remember, his righteousness is about living a life that honors God and reflects his teachings. We can receive lifestyle right now and utilize it through what we say and do. While doing that, we hold on to the hope of a perfect peace for our future, whether here on earth or when we reach heaven and eternal living.

BREATHE IN: This baby brings…

BREATHE OUT: …peace, hope, and salvation.

Until next time, stay blessed!