December 29, 2024

Scripture

Luke 2:22-40 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 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. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Reflection

God’s ways never cease to amaze me. He always surprises us in whom He uses and the way in which He works. Anna and Simeon were ordinary old people. Waiting 84 years for a prayer to be answered was God’s perfect timing again. Surely that wouldn’t have been their timing, or ours. Especially today as we live in an era of instant gratification. As it’s been said, “Who else has a national monument called Mount Rushmore?”

I’m sure we would be doubting God’s word if answers to our prayers took our entire lifetime to arrive. We may have given up on asking all together.

I’ve been told that God answers prayers four ways:

No, not yet

No, I’ve got something better planned

Yes, I’ve been waiting for you to ask

Yes, and here’s a whole lot more

Sometimes God speaks loudest through the strangest of incidents.

Both of these people saw their answers come to pass when least expected.

If an older person off the streets showed up at one of our Sunday baptisms and picked up the baby and said, “Excuse me for disrupting your service here, but I just have to tell you that this little guy will grow up to be a great leader one day. Some will love him, others will hate him, and you’ll spend most of your years as parents worrying about his safety, we would be very leery. I can’t imagine what Mary and Joseph thought hearing this. Once again, God’s surprise.

The Holy Spirit of God had gone ahead of this modest family and had planted two old people in the Temple that very day—two people who had somehow been told by God for years that they’d live to see just such a day as this one when the Christ would show

up. Who knows what Simeon and Anna had expected to see.

They saw a baby. They saw a poor family. They saw a mother and father who—despite what we as readers of Luke know in terms of everything that had been revealed to them about the special nature of this child—were quite simply blown away by the testimony of Simeon and Anna as to what was to come.

Surprise again: Two little old people like this whom the Holy Spirit would raise up to bear that witness.

Simeon can now die in peace because God had kept His promise and he has beheld the one who would bring God’s salvation.

Prayer

Dearest Savior

God said, “I am the light of the world. “ That is our gift from God.

He also said, “You are the light of the world.”

Let us share that light and be like Anna and Simeon and spread that light to others, especially at this blessed time of the year. Thank you for answered prayers, no matter how long they take. We know your timing is perfect.

Joanie Tanski