For Mary’s marathon as the Messiah’s mother, God had appointed some race-officials to assure her and inform her. One of them was Simeon. He was deeply concerned for “the consolation of Israel” that had been denied his nation for six hundred years, ever since the Babylonians had ravaged Jerusalem. Unlike many before him, who had tried to manufacture a solution to their political ills through conspiracy or compromise, Simeon refused such presumptuous pathways. He was righteous and devout and deeply spiritual. In fact, Luke thrice mentions Simeon’s spirituality: he was Spirit-endowed (v25), Spirit-instructed (v26) and Spirit-led (v27).

In our modern activism-obsessed age, Simeon’s spiritual calling seems like the strangest mission: not to do anything but to wait until he saw “the Lord’s Messiah”. And, he had waited so long it felt like he had been shackled to this calling, like a slave to his chains (v29). Nevertheless, Simeon waited – patiently and faithfully – until the day “the parents brought in the child Jesus” (v27). Only then had the climactic moment of his special calling come: “Now O Sovereign Lord, release your slave, according to your Word, in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation”.

A powerful word of assurance and direction to Mary (vv34-35), and Simeon is gone from the pages of Scripture. Yet, not without leaving behind that necessary reminder that God has many callings in His great drama of salvation.

In 1755, John Wesley devised The Covenant Service, a liturgy for the first Sunday of every year, which enabled God’s people to strengthen their discipleship by recognising and renewing their relationship with Jesus Christ. Generations of Christians to this day have been blessed through this annual re-dedication to the covenant, especially through its most famous prayer of commitment:

“I am no longer my own but Yours.

Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will; put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low for You;

let me be full, let me be empty,

let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

to Your pleasure and disposal.”

Mary had her marathon calling to bear the Saviour and journey with him to the cross and beyond. Simeon had a different calling: to believe God’s promise, and wait, so he could simply be there to speed the bearer of the Saviour on her way.

“They too serve who only stand and wait” (John Milton)

Ivor Poobalan, PhD
December 2025

The writer is the Principal of CTS. He is the author of ‘Who is the God of This Age?’: Paul and the Sovereignty of God in 2 Corinthians 4:4, and, Everything Has Become New! Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. He serves as Chairperson of Sri Lanka’s first world-missions initiative, Global Impact. Ivor’s international ministry includes serving as the Co-Chair of the Theology Working Group of the Lausanne Movement.