“At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon … The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah” (Luke 2:25-26)
An elderly man held a newborn in the temple, overwhelmed with laughter and awe. He claimed to have witnessed God’s salvation in this child and expressed contentment in being able to die in peace.
How was that enough for Simeon? On the surface, he merely saw a speechless baby, and any salvation the infant might work was nothing more than a promise. Still, it was enough.
“Anna, a prophet was also there in the Temple … She lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four … She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38).
She lived a seemingly tragic life. Married for seven years when her husband died, Anna spent most of her eighty-four years alone in the Temple, praying, pleading, and hoping. At the sight of the baby Jesus, though, she filled the room with joy and praise. Like Simeon, whatever she saw was enough for her.
By the time Jesus grew up, Simeon and Anna would have surely died. They didn’t personally witness how Jesus saved the world but, in their faith, they saw enough to know that God always keeps a promise.
We get to know more than Anna and Simeon knew about Jesus’ life through our opportunity to read the rest of the Gospel story, and that means we get to hope for more. We hunger and thirst for God to deliver on every promise when Jesus comes again.
But we have enough for now. Patiently waiting in faith, like Anna and Simeon, we know and trust that God always keeps a promise.
Questions for reflection:
- Simeon and Anna both waited a long time to see the Messiah. What do Simeon and Anna do in their waiting, and how can we apply their example to our lives?
- What does waiting patiently for Jesus look like practically in day-to-day living?