"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." Luke 2.25 (ESV)

It would be interesting to know precisely how Simeon was alerted that he would have the privilege of seeing God's Messiah. The important thing was that because of his devout way of life God was able to use this elderly man to give one of the first public signals that the Christ was born. The word used in the Greek for our English word 'devout' is 'threskia'. ‑ the outward evidence of this man's religious beliefs came from an inward condition of heart which enabled God to communicate with him The same must have applied to Anna, the widow who also came at the time of Jesus' presentation in the Temple, and those to whom she spoke (Luke 2.36-38)

Cornelius, the prayerful and generous centurion at Caesarea, whom Peter visited after having a vision demonstrating that God shows no partiality, was "a devout man who feared God with all his household." (Acts 10.1-8) He received the power of the Spirit and was baptised into Christ because his heart was right toward God.

Ananias of Damascus was described by Paul before the crowd in Jerusalem, as "a devout men according to the law" (Acts 22.12,13). This man was able to place his hands upon Saul of Tarsus and say "Brother Saul" knowing that this Pharisee was visiting his city with the express intention of throwing him into prison. Ananias conversed with the Lord about the matter and was able to restore Saul's sight because conversations with the Lord were part of daily life.

It is noteworthy that Jesus' example in his devout way of life was always to address God as 'Father' and his teaching reinforced this example. In the Sermon on the Mount he referred always to 'your Heavenly Father'. Is any other form of address in prayer suitable? Even singing to 'Jehovah' as in one or two of our hymns, would seem to be out of place, if we really regard the Most High as 'our Father'.

In teaching Jesus told wonderful stories that really had one forceful lesson, yet frequently complex interpretations are woven around those parables, that Jesus never intended. The thrust of his teaching was for uprightness in heart, not devious theories that many Christians find difficult to follow. That was the problem with the teaching of the Pharisees. They made it difficult and boring to the 'unlearned'.

So Jesus was able to speak to a woman of Samaria. That he should talk to a member of that hated race ‑ the Samaritans ‑ and that he should converse publicly with a woman who was a stranger with not very high morals was extraordinary. Beyond all that, he spoke of worshipping the Father "in spirit and truth". We might have spoken about 'casting pearls before swine' but Jesus read the woman's heart and knew that she was just the person to be a missionary to her own people.

The Pharisees expressed their devotion to God in terms of keeping the Sabbath and severely criticised the disciples for gleaning on the Sabbath and Jesus for healing on that day. The pious Jews were more concerned about unwashed hands and pots before a meal than about the cleanliness of their own hearts. Jesus saw the hypocrisy of their outward piety and warned them of their evil thoughts.

Writing to the Galatians (4.9) Paul contrasts their old way of life with "now you have come to know God and be known of him." This was said to the Christian Church that wanted to embrace the Judaism of outward piety, and Paul pointed to the meaning of inward piety.

More forcefully the Apostle could write to the Philippians that he had now forgotten the past life of outward 'religion' and wanted to forsake everything that he might come to know Christ and be found in him.(Phil.3). The barriers that divide Christians, the sectarian discords, the emphasis upon pet theories, all destroy true piety. Piety is a heart condition expressed in every act of daily life. We deceive ourselves if we imagine that anything can replace our fellowship with our Lord. And that fellowship with Him is only real if it is the expression of every act and word and thought in daily life ‑ "whom to know is life eternal.".

DN