Simeon & Anna

Simeon and Anna were not a couple.

As far as we know they are not blood-related at all. But they were related in one way — their expectant faithfulness.

For those unfamiliar with the story, after Jesus is born he is taken to Jerusalem to be circumcised and dedicated to God. It is there that Mary and Joseph enter the Temple and meet Simeon and Anna.

Simeon

We are not told who Simeon is — other than that he is devout and that the Holy Spirit was upon him. He had been told that he would not die before he saw the Messiah of Israel. And so one day, moved by the spirit he decides to go to the temple — and it just so happens to be the day Jesus is also there.

And Simeon recognized Him.

When no one else did — perhaps not event Mary and Joseph truly understood who the child was — but Simeon did.

Anna

Then there is Anna.

We are told that she is very old and has lived the majority of her life as a widow. We are told that she “never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying” (Luke 2:37b).

When I read that I am not sure how literal to take it, but in any case it is clear that she spent her time worshipping and being in the presence of God — fully dependant on Him for her needs.

She too was a prophet, and she too recognized the Messiah, talking about Him to all those around her who would listen.

Why are these stories there?

Sometimes its worth asking why God bothered to include the stories of these two people in the Bible.

We never hear anything about them either before or after again, and yet there they are — two people who faithfully waited for God and recognized the time of his coming.

And I think that is one thing we can learn from Simeon and Anna.

They learned to wait faithfully, and they were in Gods presence, so they did not miss the opportunity when it came. Imagine if Simeon had not listened to the spirit that day — if he had stayed home. How different would his story have been?

But he did listen, he did go the temple and he was rewarded.

Anna as well chose to spend her days worshipping and as a result she was able to recognise the Messiah when hardly anyone else did.

So just as they waited for the first coming of the Messiah, as we look forward to the coming return of Jesus, let us wait as Simeon and Anna did — expectantly, full of hope.

And let us do so in the spirit, that we may be ready for when he comes.

Until tomorrow,

Be blessed.

Aaron,

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