The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

By Julie Carew, Lay Preacher

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I’m sure it will come as a surprise to few of you that music plays a HUGE part in my life. I listen to music, a lot of it, and have for as long as I can remember. I go through many different phases in my musical listening and tend to get stuck, in a good way, to dwell, if you will, in certain genres for a while and then move on to another, coming back when I want to revisit. And then there are a few specific times when only certain music feels appropriate. 
Saturday afternoons growing up often meant hanging out in the kitchen with my dad listening to jazz, so that’s a go-to for me at similar times. 
My husband, Dan, and I have collected many Christmas albums over the years, and even made our own the first year we were married, and those always came out of the box and got lots of use between the end of November and Christmas Day, until the old CD player stopped playing them. 
In March, our house is filled with Irish tunes, and my son Hendrick knew the words (if you can call them that) to the chorus of “Whiskey in the Jar” from a very early age…. 
I think this is true for a lot of folks, but I’ll speak for myself here. Music helps me feel things, and can help me to stay in something a little longer, even though it might be uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s something I’m seeking out, sometimes it’s something unexpected that can catch me off guard. But if I’m really listening, it’s hard for me not to be moved by what I’m listening to. So, the first thing that struck me when I read through the passages in the liturgy for today, was thinking of a few songs that have been written from a couple of them. 
Let’s start with Psalm 84. Parts of the song “Better is One Day” by English singer/songwriter, Matt Redman, were taken right from the text of this psalm, and a few other psalms as well. 
Here’s how it begins: 
“How lovely is Your dwelling place, Oh Lord Almighty 
My soul longs and even faints for You 
For here my heart is satisfied, within Your presen
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings 
Better is one day in Your courts 
Better is one day in Your house 
Better is one day in Your courts 
Than thousands elsewhere” 
And later in the song, 
“My heart and flesh cry ou 
For You the living God 
Your Spirit's water for my soul 
I've tasted and I've seen, 
Come once again to me. 
I will draw near to You.” 
This song, when I first learned it, and even when I hear it now, is a reminder to me that no matter what I am facing, walking through, wrestling with, I am better off dwelling with God than without, and that I would still choose that, no matter what. It also speaks of longing for God, for the times when we don’t feel as close, having experienced God before, and seeking God again, but not quite being there yet. This song is comforting and inspiring and has certainly been a favorite of mine. 
The passage from Malachi is a little tougher. Here, we hear of an answer to seekers of a day of the Lord’s return that will be not so comforting. Here, we hear of a refining fire, not exactly warm and fuzzy, to say the least. This isn’t a passage that is comfortable for dwelling in, but I think that’s exactly the point. This passage brings to my mind a song put out by Jennifer Knapp, written by Kim Bontrager, the year before Matt Redman released “Better is One Day”. This song is called “Refine Me” and it’s a beautiful song to listen to, and yet the lyrics are very challenging. 
“I come into this place 
Burnin' to receive Your peace
I come with my own chains 
From wars I fought for my own selfish gai 
…Lord, come with Your fi 
Burn my desires, refine  
Lord, my will has deceived me 
Please come free me, refine m 
This song speaks of a part of the spiritual process that often doesn’t feel so great, but can also help us to experience and hear from God. There is an acknowledgement that parts of ourselves (sometimes seemingly very good, strong parts) can stand in the way of leaning on God, and a desire for God to help us get those things out of the way- a purification process that brings us closer to God. 
This is, in a sense, what Jesus’s parents were seeking as they came to the temple in today’s Gospel passage. They made a sacrifice of doves or pigeons for purification, in order to be right with the Lord. This was the system of sacrifices, called korbanot, that were set up in order to allow “access” to God. Rabbi Daniel Kirzane explains that, 
“Korbanot were used to draw people closer to God. Israelites brought of erings of animals, grain, or money to the kohanim (ko-ha-neem), and the kohanim in turn of ered them as sacrifices to God. This was the main process used to connect ancient Jews with God. People gave up their prized possessions as a symbol of their dedication to God, and this became the most important part of Jewish worship. 
After the destruction of the Temple in the year 70 CE, Jews stopped of ering korbanot. Instead, they began to of er prayers. The rabbis taught us that we can become closer to God with the words of our mouths rather than with physical sacrifices… 
…The korbanot teach us that we have to give something of ourselves in order to draw nearer to God. They teach us that it can be easier to come close to God with the help of other people rather than all by ourselves. And they teach us that prayer can be deeper when we use ancient rituals. In all these ways, the korbanot still lead us to holiness today.”1
All of this makes me wonder about how and when I approach God, would you join me in that for a moment? 

•  When do we turn to God for comfort and protection? Do we wish for God to shelter us and keep us from challenges? 
• When faced with a challenge, do we look for what God might be doing in us? Do we ask God to help us learn and grow? 
• When we approach worship, here on a Sunday morning or in another form, what do we seek? Is it purification? Is it knowledge of God? Is it tradition and community?
•  In the context of today’s Gospel, as we approach God, what might we give of ourselves to draw nearer to God? 

In this Gospel passage, there are beautiful descriptions of Simeon’s relationship with God, “the Holy Spirit rested on him”, “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit”, “Guided by the Spirit”. And the promise made to Simeon, that he would not see death before he saw God’s Messiah, speaks to the focus of Simeon’s prayers. Simeon was looking to God for the answers to desires of his heart, the consolation, the comfort, of Israel. Simeon was able to hear God’s voice, recognize what God was doing, and point out who should be listened to and followed. And there’s Anna, who followed God closely, depending on God for everything and was able to recognize immediately who this was and what was happening and speak up about it. Simeon and Anna were both devoted to God, they both dwelt in God, and God used them in powerful ways. 
I wonder if you, like me, find that it often seems like it’s easier to just do things myself, to coast along and maintain, even to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit, rather than recognize what is happening, ask for help and pause to seek an answer. When we live with only ourselves in view, it can be easy to put on our blinders and push through, but when we make space for God to reveal the bigger picture to us, as challenging as that can be, we may find ourselves with an opportunity to speak up and speak truth. 
So, in considering all of this together- the acknowledgement that nowhere is better than in the presence, the company, of God- accessing God’s wisdom, truth, compassion and power; and also, knowing that there can be barriers both in ourselves and around us that can stand in the way- I wonder, what might God be refining in us?
What if we allow or even invite that refining? Do we, can we, trust that it will bring us closer and allow us space to truly dwell with God? 
Worship, whether it’s through song, presence, sacrifice or prayer, is often deeply personal, as we relate to God on an individual level, and it’s essential for each of us to do that. And also, what power there is when we come together- as people open to hearing, seeing and being transformed, in communion with God and each other, noticing all that is happening to and around us, speaking up and acting in truth and love. 
That’s a place I truly want to dwell. 
Amen


 1 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/understanding-biblical-sacrifice-korbanot/#:~:text=Korbanot%20 were%20used%20to%20draw,connect%20ancient%20Jews%20with%20God.

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