Pastor Bob DuPar
March 16, 2008

Journal Entry


Scripture

Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14.

Observation

What beautiful words at the beginning of Balaam’s oracle:

“The oracle of one whose eye sees clearly, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened.”

I feel like these words describe our privilege as believers every time we approach God through His Word. What a wonderful pairing in our reading today with the words of Simeon, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people…” (Luke 2:30) I was intrigued by the words: “Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel…” (Luke 225) And, I found that the word “consolation” is a variation of the Greek word used of the Holy Spirit – “Comforter.” Pretty neat when you think about the fact that Jesus was/is Immanuel “God with us.”

Application

What an awesome privilege to have the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit, dwelling inside of us – not just “resting” upon us like the OT, but indwelling. So that every time we go to God’s Word, the Spirit illuminates and helps our eyes to “see clearly,” our ears to “hear the words of God,” and our minds to be filled with “the knowledge of the Most High.”

What Simeon longed to see, waited patiently to behold, now lives inside of each one of us who knows Jesus as Savior and Lord!

Prayer

“God, thank You for choosing to make Your abode in sinful flesh. Thank You for deciding to live in our midst. What a privilege to have You daily open our eyes, transform our mind and heart, and open our ears to the true knowledge of who You are.”