Always Moving

A Reflection on the Gospel for February 2nd, 2020:
The Feast of The Presentation of The Lord

​LUKE 2

22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, 
    according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
    and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 
39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

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When the Spirit is involved, we will be moved in ways we cannot always easily explain. If this were not true, why would Simeon have wandered into the temple on this particular day? What moved him to take the child Jesus into his arms, embracing Him as the Promise that was given him many years before? Why would Mary and Joseph allow their child to be taken up by a strange man in the first place? What compelled Anna to praise God and tell everyone about the Christ child? Why was Luke compelled to take down this story as an historical record for generations to come? It is because the Spirit of God propelled the movement of each of their hearts so that His Son’s purpose on earth would be rightfully presented to the world.


The Spirit of God is always available to us, but this beautiful depiction of the way in which He orchestrates a coming together of all the right people, at just the right time, for a righteous purpose, is no accident. It is the result of Relationship. Joseph and Mary had an intimate relationship with God even before they were given Him as their child. Simeon, it says, was “righteous and devout”. Anna prayed and fasted in the temple night and day—and you can be sure that with this level of relational fidelity, God will respond.


The Holy Spirit is wild and untamed—completely unpredictable by our own limited perception. We may ask Him to move, and not perceive His movement. Other times, without even asking, we may perceive His movement swiftly and profoundly. The one thing that is certain: He is always moving.


I prayed, some time ago, that God would send help to see a vision He gave me of a women’s ministry come to life. Six months later, a woman came to me, tentatively, because she had a vision for a women’s ministry, and the Spirit of God placed my name on her heart. She didn’t know my story, but God did. Another eight months passed, and through the prayer of more women, a date for a gathering in His name was borne. During this time of sharing, prayer, and praise, the Spirit moved, healed, and inspired hearts. And mine was moved possibly greater than most. I didn’t know when the Spirit first moved in me that the outcome would see housefulls of women gathered together in search of something more. If I had known, I may have jumped ship at the outset. But He called the right people, at the right time, and for a righteous purpose. And I could never hope to explain how He orchestrated this beautiful plan.


He is the divine conductor, moving within and between us in waves and strokes, and drawing us ever nearer to His Son. His presentation may be elaborate or discreet, but if we receive the grace to perceive Him, and we follow where He leads, He will surprise and renew us every time.


I pray that you, like Simeon, will draw near to God as He is presented to you each day, and that He will stir within you an understanding of your completeness in His presence.




​Lori MacDonald

If you or someone you know would like to join a Gathering At The Well,
keep an eye on the GATW page on this website for upcoming engagements.

Photo by Dawid Zawiła on Unsplash

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