Today’s 333 Devotional: Living with Expectancy

Simeon was a just and devout man who was waiting expectantly for the Messiah. But it wasn’t a false hope he held onto; rather it was a hope rooted and grounded in God’s word and promise.

Simeon possessed the spirit of expectancy.

He was filled with the Holy Spirit. It ways that he was expectantly waiting because “the Holy Spirit was upon him.” (Luke 2:25b)

Next he was waiting with great expectation because the Holy Spirit revealed a promise. “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” (Luke 2:26)

Finally he was waiting with expectancy because the Holy Spirit had directed him. “Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.” (Luke 2:27a)

Living with expectancy is all about being filled with the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to speak and direct us through time in God’s word and prayer.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” (Roman 8:26-27)

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come” (John 16:13).

Living with this spirit of expectancy, Simeon was able to hold Jesus in His arms saying, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation.” (Luke 2:19-30)

Lord, I pray You fill and guide us by your Holy Spirit. Help us live with a spirit of expectancy, expecting You to do great, and marvelous things in our lives and in the church.