Now, We Are the Waiting Ones

Was it the pair of turtle doves that tipped him off?
Was it the countrified manner of the parents?
Or did the Spirit of God produce an aura of light around the Child, visible only to Simeon’s Spirit-filled gaze?

We don’t know how he knew, but since “it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ,” we do know that Simeon had been waiting and watching.

How did Mary feel when this aged gentleman took Jesus up in his arms and started spouting prophetic verbiage? To be sure, a visit from Gabriel and the chance meeting with a band of shepherds would have prepared her to expect the unexpected, but there was no mistaking Simeon’s point. He knew:

My eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:30-32)

Once again, Mary was put on notice. Overshadowed by the Spirit, she had given birth to Light.

However, Simeon doesn’t leave without casting a shadow over Mary’s future:

Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
(Luke 2:34-35)

Among the first to bear witness to the arrival of the Light, Simeon could now die happy. His eyes had seen the Promised One. This tiny babe would grow to fulfill every prophecy in the Old Testament, to complete every metaphor, and to be the solid reality for every foreshadowing.
But not without pain.
Mary would feel the sword.

Scripture is full of cameo appearances, brief entrances that serve to enrich the narrative arc. And then the actor disappears from the record. Led and guided by the Spirit, Simeon played his part, and then we never hear from him again.

Luke’s one-sentence bio of Simeon is telling: “This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” The grammatical structure puts me on notice that Simeon’s righteousness and devotion are defined (or at least made manifest) by his waiting. The Bible doesn’t give us details about the duration of Simeon’s vigil. Had he been scanning the Temple crowd for days? Months? Years?

Waiting has a way of playing with our perception of time. December drags on for excited children waiting for the gifts and excitement of Christmas Day. However, dreams with a long shelf life can lead to cynicism or even despair as hope bleeds out in the waiting.

Whether we like it or not, present-day believers are brothers and sisters of Simeon, and we are caught up in a waiting game that Isaiah describes in his usual picturesque way:

He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
    and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
    for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
   ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
    This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
    let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”
(Isaiah 25:8-9)

Taking inventory, we have in the “already” column a great salvation, the hope of eternal life, the mediatory ministry of Christ, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. In the “not yet” column, we have the words of C.S. Lewis to remind us that “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

Our hearts long for the reality Isaiah describes, because today, death is the enemy that threatens every relationship we cherish. Tears go unseen and uncared for all over the world. God’s Word, God’s people, and even the notion of objective truth are reviled and rejected.

Like Simeon, we place our faith in the promise of God, not because our faith is strong, but because our hope is in God’s character. During Advent, we look to Simeon and rejoice that one day, we will “be glad and rejoice in our salvation.” Our sanctification will be complete.

But for now, we are the waiting ones.

Whether we like it or not, like Simeon, present-day believers are caught up in a waiting game that Isaiah describes in his usual picturesque way: “This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

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Holding You in the Light,

The Advent Series—2025

Looking for a Devotional Plan for Your Advent Season?

This four-part series for Advent features Isaiah’s prophecy of a coming Messiah. Together, we remember that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor with Supernatural Wisdom. He is our Mighty God, unlimited in His Ability to do what He wills. He is the compassionate Everlasting Father, the Giver of good gifts, and Jesus is the Fountain of deep well-being, our Prince of Peace. CLICK HERE to begin reading.

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