Simeon and Anna

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: Luke 2:25-38

25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem. (Luke 2:25-26, 36-38 NLT)

When Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the Temple for the purification ceremony and his dedication to the Lord one month after his birth, Simeon and Anna enter the gospel story. Simeon and Anna were both old and devout and full of faith and the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would live to see the Lord’s Messiah! When he saw Joseph, Mary, and the baby, he took the baby Jesus in his arms and said, 29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Luke 2:29-32 NLT) Anna, a prophetess, who spent all her days in the Temple worshiping God, came up at just this moment and began praising God. She began telling everyone she saw about Jesus!

A couple of things that really stand out to me as I think about this today:

  • God always has faithful people around who are just there, faithful and devout, never the center of attention, but ready to speak and act in faith when the time comes. We’ve already met four faithful old people, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, and Anna, in the Jesus story. Let’s keep our eyes open for faithful people!
  • Don’t discount people because of their age – young or old. There are three generations present in this story, Jesus the baby, Joseph and Mary his parents, and Simeon and Anna the older generation. Each had their part in God’s plan.
  • What’s our part in the story? Young or old, there’s still a place for our faithfulness.

Prayer:

Father, please help me to deal respectfully with people of every age – the kids, the young adults, and the old(er). And help me never to think I’m the only one.  I know you have many faithful and devout people who are ready to speak and act in faith. Amen.