Simeon's Blessing & Our Inner Thoughts

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Introduction

THE STORY OF SIMEON’S BLESSING IS USUALLY ONE PART OF THE SET OF BEAUTIFUL STORIES OF THE

ADVENT/CHRISTMAS SEASON. HERE IN VERSES 33-35 OF THE 2nd CHAPTER OF LUKE WE SEE THE CULMINATION OF

SIMEON’S FAITHFUL WAITING. WE JOIN THE FAITHFUL PRIEST, ALONG WITH JOSEPH, MARY

AND JESUS AT A TIME WHEN WE HEAR THE LANGUAGE OF INNER THOUGHTS EXPRESSED AS

THE ‘THOUGHTS FROM MANY HEARTS’ IN SIMEON’S BLESSING OF THE BABY JESUS.....

THIS BLESSING ASSURES THE NERVOUS PARENTS OF THE BABY JESUS THAT JESUS’ MISSION IS TO BLESS THE

WORLD, THAT JESUS IS THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD — THE RESCUER FROM ENEMIES, THE SOURCE OF

KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SALVATION. BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS DECLARATION OF SALVATION, SIMEON TURNS TO

MARY AND TELLS HER SALVATION WILL NOT COME EASY. AND THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM WILL BE THESE

‘THOUGHTS FROM MANY HEARTS’

THE BATTLE GOING ON WITHIN US

BELOVEDS, THERE’S AN OLD CHEROKEE LEGEND THAT SAYS:

THERE ARE 2 WOLVES INSIDE US ALL BATTLING TO SEE WHO WILL TAKE OVER. ONE IS NEGATIVE — FULL OF

ANGER, ENVY, RESENTMENT, GREED, SORROW, JUDGMENT, INFERIORITY, CRITICISM AND DOUBT. THE

OTHER WOLF IS GOOD — FULL OF JOY, APPRECIATION, LOVE KINDNESS, EMPATHY, UNDERSTANDING,

CONFIDENCE, COMPASSION, AND CLARITY.

THE FIGHT IS GOING ON INSIDE OF YOU, EVEN IF YOU DON’T NOTICE IT. “WHICH WOLF WILL WIN?” —YOU

MAY ASK, AS THE CHEROKEE’S GRANDSON DID. “THE ONE YOU FEED THE MOST.” - THE WISE GRANDFATHER

SIMPLY REPLIED.

AWARE OF THIS VERY FAMILIAR AND LONG STANDING LEGEND, THE WRITER MARK TWAIN WENT ON TO WRITE:

“Drag your thoughts away from your troubles…. by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can

manage.” — Mark Twain

ONE OF OUR BIBLE’S GREATEST ENCOURAGEMENTS IN THE AREA OF OUR INNER THOUGHTS COMES TO US FROM

THE WISDOM LITERATURE WE KNOW AND APPRECIATE FOR IT’S SHORT, TO THE POINT VERSES.....IT COMES TO US

FROM PROVERBS 4:23 FROM THE GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY BIBLE WHERE IT READS:

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (GNT).

IT IS YOUR THOUGHTS, BELOVED, THE THOUGHTS OF YOUR HEART THAT CAN RETAIN MORE THAN JUST WORDS

BUT ALSO IMAGES, SMELLS, EMOTIONS, FEELINGS AND MORE.........

IT IS YOUR THOUGHTS THAT CAN ACCOMPANY YOU, INTO THE STRATOSPHERE OF ALL THAT WILL BE OF COMFORT

TO YOU....ON YOUR HARDEST DAYS AND IN WAYS WE ALL CAN SCARCELY IMAGINE.....

A SOLDIER’S STORY

THE OUTSTANDING AMERICAN METHODIST MISSIONARY TO INDIA DR. E. STANLEY JONES ONCE TOLD THE

BEAUTIFUL STORY OF A SOLDIER AND HIS MOTHER, AND IT HIGHLIGHTS FOR US THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR INNER

THOUGHTS AND THEIR POWER, EVEN DURING OUR MOST CHALLENGING TIMES, EVEN WHEN OUR BODIES ARE AT

THEIR WEAKEST, EVEN AT TIMES WHEN THE POWER OF THOSE THOUGHTS ARE UNEXPECTED......

THERE WAS ONCE A BADLY WOUNDED SOLDIER WHO WAS UNCONSCIOUS, & CLOSE TO DEATH. HOSPITAL

OFFICIALS SENT WORD TO THE MOTHER WAITING OUTSIDE THAT NOTHING MORE COULD BE DONE FOR HER

SON. EVEN THE SLIGHTEST EXCITEMENT MIGHT BRING ABOUT HIS DEATH.

SHE BEGGED TO SIT NEAR HIM, PROMISING NOT TO SPEAK OR MAKE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST NOISE IN THE

ROOM. WITH BURSTING HEART SHE WAITED BESIDE HIS BED, PLACING HER HAND GENTLY ON HER

UNCONSCIOUS SON’S FOREHEAD. WITHOUT OPENING HIS EYES, THE YOUNG MAN WHISPERED, “MOTHER,

YOU HAVE COME.” HE KNEW HIS MOTHER’S SWEET TOUCH…EVEN THOUGH HE WAS UNCONSCIOUS....

HOW TO TREAT OUR INNER THOUGHTS

BELOVEDS, AS WE SEEK FAITHFULLY AND DILIGENTLY TO FEED THAT INNER WOLF WHO IS COMPASSIONATE AND

FULL OF JOY, WHO IS GOOD AND FILLED WITH APPRECIATION....THE ONE WHO CAN HELP US BE OUR BEST AND SEE

US THROUGH THE VERY WORST OF TIMES.....

I WANT TO GIVE YOU AND LEAVE WITH YOU THIS MOTHER’S DAY, THE PICTURE OF THE FAITHFUL PRIEST SIMEON

IN THE TEMPLE WITH BABY JESUS, HIS FATHER JOSEPH & ESPECIALLY WITH HIS MOTHER MARY, SIMEON

WHO WAITED PATIENTLY, FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DELIVER ON IT’S PROMISE TO HIM......IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL

PROMISE THAT MUST HAVE SEARED IT’S WAY ONTO HIS HEART......FOR WE DON’T KNOW HOW LONG HE WAITED,

THE SCRIPTURES TELL US ENOUGH THAT WE KNOW IT WAS A PERIOD OF YEARS, PERHAPS EVEN DECADES

HANGING ON TO THIS POTENT PROMISE:

Luke 2:25–26 (ESV)

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

OUR RECENTLY RETIRED PASTOR FRIEND, THE REVEREND RICK WARREN - THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE PASTOR/

PURPOSE DRIVEN…ALL THINGS PASTOR SUGGESTS A 3 PRONGED APPROACH THAT IS, OF COURSE, A GREAT WAY

TO GO.....WHEN IT COMES TO CORRECTING OUR INNER THOUGHTS, ENHANCING THEM OR SIMPLY CHOOSING THE

RIGHT WOLF…THE GOOD WOLF WITHIN US TO FOLLOW.......WARREN SUGGESTS:

1) THINK ABOUT JESUS — DIRECT OR RE-DIRECT OUR INNER THOUGHTS TO JESUS....

THIS SUGGESTION IMMEDIATELY BRINGS TO MIND THAT WONDERFUL 3rd VERSE OF THE GREAT CHRISTIAN HYMN:

Jesus is all the world to me,

And true to him I'll be;

Oh, how could I this friend deny,

When he's so true to me?

Following him I know I'm right,

He watches o'er me day and night;

Following him by day and night,

He's my friend.

2ndly) THINK ABOUT OTHERS. Everything in the world teaches you to think about yourself and no one else.

But the

Bible tells us that life isn’t about us. You’ll only know the real meaning of life when you learn to give your life away.

3rdly) Think about eternity. Life is about more than the here and now. Too often we have short-term thinking.

Colossians 3:2 says, “Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things” (GW). You’ve heard people say of others

that they are too heavenly minded to be any earthly good. That’s not true. It’s the heaven-minded people who have

done the most good throughout history.

CONCLUSION

BUT PREACHER, MY INNER THOUGHTS REALLY REVOLVE AROUND WHAT MY INNER CRITIC HAS TO SAY TO ME.....YOU

MAY SAY. MY BATTLE IS TO GET THAT CRITIC UNDER CONTROL. AND IT IS HERE THAT MY RESEARCH LED ME TO THE

BLESSED GIFT OF OMAR ITANI....WHO GIVES US 5 STEPS....TO BEGIN TO SILENCE OUR INNER CRITICS AND AMPLIFY

OUR CONFIDENCE....I CLOSE WITH THESE 5 STEPS....AS THEY ARE PRACTICAL TO PUT IN PLACE.....AND THE MORE

OF THEM WE PUT IN PLACE THE MORE WE’LL BE ABLE TO SHIFT TO THE LAUDABLE 3 THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

FROM RICK WARREN.....HERE THEY ARE FROM OMAR ITANI:

1.) MEDITATE TO BECOME MORE MINDFUL

ITANI WENT RIGHT TO A CITATION BY DR CARL JUNG.....THE OUTSTANDING SWISS PSYCHIATRIST

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

Meditation will help you make the unconscious conscious. It’ll help you raise your awareness of your inner

voice so

you can shine a light on it and make a change. Self-critical thoughts are not facts, they’re simply ideas that you’ve

subconsciously programmed yourself to regularly empower. IT’S TIME TO PLUCK THEM OUT!!!

2. CREATE A SILLY CHARACTER TO IMAGINE AS YOUR INNER CRITIC

In a recent Creative Rebels podcast, guest and coach Chloe Brotheridge shared a tip on how to silence your inner

critic: “Turn your inner critic into a funny character... Think of a funny cartoon character that makes you laugh or

smile that you can start imagining your inner-critic as.”

ITAINI WROTE, I thought this was a powerful technique, and I’ve been using it over the past few weeks.

MY CHARACTER OF CHOICE IS “DONKEY” FROM THE SHREK SERIES.....BECAUSE WHEN DONKEY, WHO WAS VOICED

BY EDDIE MURPHY THE COMEDIAN, GOT OUT OF HAND…SHREK DIDN’T HAVE ANY PROBLEM TELLING HIM TO SHUT

UP....AND THEY ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAVE GREAT BANTER GOING BETWEEN THEM........AMEN?

3. STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS —

In today’s extremely competitive culture, it’s so easy for us to plunge into the trap of comparing ourselves to others.

And when our mind plays tricks on us, making us feel like we don’t measure up, our harsh self-critic descends us

deeper into the pit of inferiority and negative self-image. SOME WILL SAY, PREACHER— I STOPPED COMPARING

MYSELF TO OTHERS A LONG TIME AGO.....AND IF SO, YOU ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME.....OUR COMPETITIVE CULTURE

JUST KEEPS ON INVITING US TO DO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN ANYWAY, EVEN IF WE’RE OVER IT....AMEN?

4. PRACTICE SELF-COMPASSION

Life is imperfect, and so are we.

Just accept that.

As you grow into that mindset, you begin to embrace your uniqueness, move past self-judgment, and tame your

self-critic. You start living a more fulfilled and content life knowing that you are you and you are whole.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”—Dalai Lama

5th AND FINALLY THIS MOTHER’S DAY MORNING BELOVEDS.......

5. START A DAILY SELF-GRATITUDE JOURNALING HABIT

It was Rumi, the Persian poet from the 13th century, who wrote: “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed

every

corner of your life.” This still holds true today.

I’m an advocate of integrating the conscious practice of gratitude into your daily morning journaling and evening

journaling sessions. Every day you can write down one thing about yourself that you’re grateful for.

THESE 5 STEPS CAN OPEN US UP, BELOVEDS, SO WE CAN THINK MORE ABOUT JESUS, MORE ABOUT OTHERS AND

MORE ABOUT ETERNITY......BECAUSE THE SELF CRITIC AND NEGATIVE THOUGHTS WILL COME........WE JUST HAVE

TO HAVE A STRATEGY NOT TO LET THEM TAKE OVER....WE NEED A STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH FEEDING THE RIGHT

WOLF INSIDE OUR MINDS DAILY.......AND WE WON’T ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT BUT WHEN WE DO....GOD WILL BE

GLORIFIED.....CHRIST WILL BE PRIORITIZED.....AND GOD’S PEOPLE WILL BE BLESSED IN WAYS THAT WILL SURELY

SURPRISE AND DELIGHT THEM.....

NEXT, SUNDAY GET ADDITIONAL PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL TOOLBOX, WHEN THE MESSAGE WILL BE:

“TENACIOUS AND TENDER-HEARTED THOUGHTS” FROM 2nd CORINTHAINS 10: 1, 3-5

AND JOIN US FOR THE FINALE, MAY 22nd WHEN THE MESSAGE WILL BE: “REPLACEMENT THOUGHTS” FROM PHILIPPIANS 4: 8

Philippians 4:8 LEB

Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are pleasing, whatever things are commendable, if there is any excellence of character and if anything praiseworthy, think about these things.