The Wait is Over

Luke 2: 21-40

²¹And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ²²And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵Now 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. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷And 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, ²⁸he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ²⁹“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; ³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation ³¹that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” ³³And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴And 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 ³⁵(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶And 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, ³⁷and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸And 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. ³⁹And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

This part of Jesus’ birth story has always been the most moving for me. I know, I know – the Savior has been born and Mary and Joseph are in center stage. But just imagine these two very elderly people who have spent their lives waiting to lay their eyes (and hands!) upon the Savior and God grants their deepest desire. I cannot read the words of Simeon without hearing them as part of the liturgy I grew up singing every Sunday. Most moving of all is the life of Anna; 84 years old when she meets the object of her life-long adoration in the Temple of the Lord. The text doesn’t state the age at which she married, but based on the culture in which she lived we can assume it was well before she was 20. That means she has spent almost 60 years in prayer and fasting. Wow! I have often wondered if Simeon had revealed to Anna that God had promised he would see the Messiah before his death. If so, I don’t blame her for hanging around to be a part of that incredible gift. I would have waited with Simeon as well.

Simeon’s words are stirring and true. The Savior has come not only for the Jews but for the Gentiles as well. These are words that would not have been well received in most Jewish circles at the time, but he seems to speak them fearlessly. His words of prophecy over Jesus (and over Mary) will of course be proven true as Jesus’ story moves forward from this point. Should Jesus return in my lifetime, I pray that I am able to wait with as much devotion and patience as these two true believers held.