Advent Hope

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam noted that Advent Hope is generated by a personal, intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Simeon was a man who Scripture describes as "righteous" and "devout", and the text even goes as far as saying Simeon was a man who was waiting for the Savior to come. However, his righteous lifestyle was not sufficient to bring revelation. Simeon gained prophetic insight not because he was a nice guy, but because he heard a specific word from the Holy Spirit of God.

Our pastor mentioned two outcomes that grew from Simeon's personal relationship with the Holy Spirit:

• Personal Promise: God has a record of promising good things to individuals who are in a love relationship with Him.
• Personal Direction: God has a record of communicating with His faithful children. He tells them where He wants them to be.

Our pastor said, "The Holy Spirit moved Simeon to be in the right place at the right time." We who live today can also experience this grace of God, that fills our hearts with authentic hope and guides us with Spirit-led directives. What a blessing to know that the promise and direction of God were not just for Simeon! You and I can experience the same Advent Hope in our own lives.

The Spirit-filled heart knows what God has said.
The Spirit-led heart goes where God directs.
Live by the Spirit, in Advent Hope.