Simeon, a Baby, & a Bucket List

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

A young ambitious person often has a vision of things that he or she would like to see or accomplish in their lifetime, often these desires are mentally compiled into what is know as our bucket lists. Some of these may include living in another country, visiting a favorite vacation spot, watching your favorite team play in the super bowl, writing a book, or just purchasing a vacation dream home.

What typically happens is this list starts to dwindle down to the point where it becomes categorized by what is the most important. In most cases (not all), that list slowly begins its transformation from self to other people focused. For example, someone might say, "Before I die, I want to see my child get married." As we mature, we tend to be more concerned about seeing people that we love reach a milestone in their own lives. This doesn't mean we quit living; instead we just reach a point where our bucket lists become reorganized by what is the most important intrinsically to our hearts.

In this passage, Simeon represents such a man because he only cares about one thing before he dies, seeing the Jesus Messiah right before his eyes. Once this event is realized he is ready to call it a life, that is, to rest in peace.

Now we don't know what kind of bucket list Simeon initially had when he was young and ambitious, but we can see how it was most likely reorganized at the very end. He just wanted to see baby Jesus!

What would you like to see happen in your lifetime to make your life complete? Furthermore, what event in your life would make you proclaim, "I am ready to go now Lord, to call it a life! I suspect like Simeon, at the deepest corrido of your heart, it will be other centered, reserved for someone you deeply love.

Connecting the Loose Ends: Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story is to fast-forward it some thirty-three years at a place called Calvary. Touchingly, this infant baby would essentially utter the same words at the cusp of his impending deathbed. "It is finished" is another way of saying, "Lord I am ready to go now that your salvation is available to all of humanity, the people that we so love (John 3:16)."

Like Simeon, he reached the point in his life where he could say, "Take me, I am ready."