When Jesus was still a newborn, Mary and Joseph took him to the temple to present Him to the Lord and to make a sacrifice.
While they were there, they met two very interesting people: Simeon and Anna. To me, what makes these two so interesting is their willingness to listen to what God told them and to obey—even though it was very uncomfortable to do so.
Get this:
- God had laid it on Simeon’s heart to wait and hope for a time when Israel would be comforted and have a time of hope! This probably related to the coming of the Messiah. Simeon was known to be a righteous and devout man, filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prompted him that the time had come—so he went to the temple and found Joseph and Mary there with the baby Jesus! Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He uttered prophetic words for Jesus and for the couple. Crazy.
- Anna was a prophetess and was around 84 years old. The Lord convicted her to live at His temple and to give herself to night and day worship, fasting, and prayer. Her listening spirit and obedience was rewarded. She was one of the first to see Jesus and gave testimony regarding Him to anyone who would listen.
Don’t you love the mold-able hearts and listening ears of Simeon and Anna? You can see the whole account in The Message Bible here.
What character traits do you see in Simeon and Anna worth emulating? What do you think it was that caused them to be people who heard and responded to God?
What character traits do you see in Simeon and Anna worth emulating? What do you think it was that caused them to be people who heard and responded to God?