Joseph and Mary marvelled. They were out of their depth, and they just listened with wonder and appreciation.
Marvelling is the right response when we come before God. Marvelling is the response that shows we have caught some glimpse of the wonder of heavenly things. Calm acceptance is always inappropriate when we encounter the acts of the Lord. However much we think we know already, the truth of God should always overwhelm us. We are by definition so much smaller than the Lord that when we catch a glimpse of his power, the extent of his knowledge, his foresight and perfect arrangement of the parts of his plan, we cannot help but be carried out of familiar surroundings. We can never know so much that we cease to marvel at him. If we do not marvel at God we do not understand him. This remains true however many times we come into his house. We cannot fully take in the things of God, but to marvel at them tells us that we have seen something of their truth. At the same time we know that the truth of God is inexhaustible and we will never get to the end of exploring his wonders. Simeon’s words are such a brief statement for something so great. Who can say what great things will come through the gospel going to the Gentiles, how many lives will be transformed, and what will be the consequences of it all. But God knows all that he is going to do.
It is good that we are surprised by the truth of God, whatever source we learn it from. Pride is like a barrier set up to all new things. Nothing can be received which does not bring credit to self. It is a great barrier to being taught by anyone, and especially by the Lord. Pride does not want to be carried away. It wants to claim that it is incapable of being surprised. It insists that it can be taught nothing that it does not already know. It will not give credit to another, not even to God. It may give some meagre appreciation, but it holds back and is not lost in wonder love and praise. It already knows great things, and it knows greater things than others know. Even before God the proud maintain this attitude. The result is that they are shut out the glory of God and remain in a state of ignorance. Pride makes a foolish assessment of itself that is shameful because it is so distorted, so great a miscalculation.