Hope In The Waiting

“25 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. 26 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.” Have you ever waited so long for something that it caused you to lose hope? How did that time of waiting make you feel? Did you ever take matters into your own hands? Did you put your trust in God or in yourself? Think about how long the people of old waited for the coming Messiah. Think about all the stories in the Old Testament that told the story of God’s people having to wait. It caused many of them to become frustrated, to doubt, and to ultimately take matters into their own hands and not trust God. Even though we often become impatient and don’t trust the Lord, our God is faithful and still gives us exactly what we need! This Sunday, we are looking at the story of Simeon and Anna and how they waited for the promised Messiah. They were older in their years, but they had received a promise from the Holy Spirit that they would see the Messiah with their own eyes before they departed. They held onto hope. Maybe this is a simple reminder to hold onto hope. Hold onto the hope you first had when the Lord brought you into the family. Hold onto hope that one day there will be no more sickness, or disease, or hardship, or tears, but that all things will be made new. Hold onto hope that while you wait, the Lord is still working, moving, molding, and sharpening you. Hold onto hope that Jesus Christ will one day return in power, glory, and to establish His kingdom forever. To all who need a little bit more hope while you wait: lean on the Lord. He is enough.