Read Luke 2:22-39
The Temple was a very busy place. For the last 20 years it had been
exceptionally chaotic as King Herod’s grand rebuild of the temple was in full
swing. The daily burning of incense still took place. The offering of
sacrifices continued despite the construction.
Despite all this noise and activity, two elderly people were constant
fixtures. They came daily to the Temple
with eyes and heart wide open.
84-year-old Ana never seemed to leave. She was a prayer warrior. She was constantly
looking for those in need of a word of encouragement and intercessory prayer. She “served night and day with fasting and
prayer.” It was her mission, her
purpose, her way of worshiping. What a blessing to have her come over and ask
if she could pray for you.
We do not know exactly how old Simeon was when Joseph
and Mary arrived at the temple with a 5-½ week old baby and two turtledoves
(the poor man’s offering for a baby dedication). He was the embodiment of Psalm 92:12-16. He
had received a personal promise from God that before he died He would see the
promised Messiah. With each encroaching
symptoms of an aging body his anticipation mounted. Like Abraham, “with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in
unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God.” (Romans 4:19-20) Every
day he came looking for that promised One – in every infant, little boy, young
man and stranger.
Both were doing a lot more than “just looking.” The Greek
word translated “looking” is prosdechomai,
which means a wholehearted embracing, to receive or accept within, to take
to heart. In Luke 15:2, this word is
used when Jesus “received” sinners. In
Jude 20-21, it is translated “waiting anxiously.” It is the defining response of faith that propels
one towards what is valued and believed.
Nothing can hold them back from being fully invested.
Every day Simeon believed today might be the day. How his
heart must have leapt for joy when his redundant question, “Is this the One?”
received a wonderfully different answer, “Yes!” What a moment that had to be when he asked
this very young mother if he could hold her infant, and she entrusted her most
precious gift into this old man’s arms.
He had waited a lifetime for this very moment. All he could do was worship from that deep
place in his heart prosdechomai alone
makes possible. “He took Him into his
arms and blessed God.”
There were others there at the temple “looking for the
redemption of Jerusalem.” (v. 38) After Ana joined Simeon and too prayed over
this divine infant, she gathered the “prosdechomai
club” with the wonderful news. “Unto us
a child has been born. Unto us a Son has been
given.” (Isaiah 9:6) They were looking for a Messiah to save
Israel. Simeon knew Jesus was so much
more. As stated in Isaiah 49:6, and
quoted by Simeon, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to
raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I
will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the
end of the earth.” This long awaited
Promised One was/is for all of us.
Jesus the promised Messiah, the Christ, has come. He is
coming again. We are invited to join the
“prosdechomai club.”
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared
to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and
to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we
wait (prosdechomai) for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of
our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us
from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own,
eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14NIV
Making It Personal
Being part of the “prosdechomai
club” requires a wholehearted embracing/acceptance of the promise and purpose
of God in your life.
- Does wholeheartedness describe your relationship with God?
- How does this go beyond a baseline faith/spectator relationship?
- What impact does your faith in God have on the daily details of your life?
- In what area(s) would you like to be focused and motivated?
What excuses could Ana and/or Simeon have used to justify
“not today”?
Are there any excuses that cause you to waver in unbelief
or justify inaction?
What specific effort are you willing to put forth towards
a more participant/partnership relationship with God, rather than a mere
spectator one?
