Waiting, Watching, Hoping

Sometimes, the familiarity of the Christmas story can steal its wonder and bring a flatness to our celebrations. But, if we allow ourselves time to ponder the reality of the people and the events of Scripture, it brings the story to life.

There’s something captivating about the fact that these people in the Christmas story were real people, and I often wonder what daily life was like for them before the events recorded in Scripture. Many of the people in the Christmas account, like Simeon and Anna, are never mentioned again, and we are have no information about their befores and afters, other than the few details recorded in Scripture.

But one thing we can be sure of: they waited in anticipation and longing for the coming of the Messiah.

For the saved in Christ, it is easy to brush off the long, watchful, hopeful, and at times disappointing years of waiting which those who lived before Christ’s first coming endured. But to Simeon and Anna, the long years of waiting were a daily reality that defined their lives. Let’s look a little closer at these two faithful servants of God mentioned at the end of Luke 2.

Simeon

For the brevity of Simeon’s part in the Christmas account, Scripture has much to say about what kind of man he was.

“And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.” (v.25)

Imagine this just man devotedly serving the Lord, watching, waiting, longing for the coming of the Messiah. Somewhere along the way, God chose to give Simeon a remarkable promise—one that must have struck joy to the depths of his soul!

“And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” (v.26)

We don’t know if Simeon told others of the promise, though from reading Luke’s account, I get the sense that Simeon was well-known as one who believed the Messiah was coming. It would have been natural for him to share God’s promise as further proof that the time was at hand.

I can imagine his excitement as he shared the news that the Messiah was indeed coming, just as God had promised—and within his own lifetime! But I can also imagine how that news may have been received. Both Simeon and Anna did know others who also were expectantly waiting for the Messiah, (v.38) but I’m sure there were others around them who scoffed, and perhaps some wondered if he was actually hearing from God at all, or if he was just imaging things.

Anna

Just as with Simeon, God gives us quite a few details about Anna up front.

“And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” (v.36-37)

Anna was a prophetess, which simply means that, like Simeon, she too had heard from God. In these two short verses, we get a very clear picture of her dedication to the Lord. She had been married only seven years, and instead of remarrying and moving on with daily life, or wallowing in her widowhood and becoming bitter towards God, Anna used the loss of her husband as a an opportunity to enter into an intense devotion to God.

She didn’t just go to the temple to pray now and then, or only on the feast days. No, she prayed and fasted night and day, and apparently had been given some kind of lodging in the temple to facilitate her service to the Lord. What is fascinating to me about Anna, is that she wasn’t a Levite. Her service was not duty, not simply what was expected because of family station or heritage. It was completely voluntary—a life of loving service and constant communion with her God.

One thing these two characters of the Christmas narrative have in common is the fact that, although their waiting for the Messiah was long—almost a lifetime—they nevertheless waited with hope, believing that God would keep His promises, that He would send the Messiah at His perfect, purposeful time.

As you read through the Christmas narrative this December, or hear it read, or see it acted out this Christmas season, let the reality of the long ages, the weight of the waiting settle into your heart and awake you to the wonder and joy of the Savior, come at last!

“Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people, Israel.” Luke 2:29-32