Eagerly Waiting

Eagerly Waiting

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.

Luke 2:25

Now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:8

It’s hard to wait—especially when you really want something and you’ve been disappointed over and over while waiting for it. That makes you want to give up and stop wanting it so much. That’s what many people did before Jesus came—they gave up waiting for and wanting a Messiah to come and deliver them. They got tired of the wait, so they stopped looking and longing. They stopped expecting that God would fulfill his promise.

But not everybody got tired of waiting. Luke 2 tells about two people—Simeon and Anna—who were still eagerly waiting and watching for the promised Messiah. When Simeon saw the baby Jesus, he knew the wait was over. He said, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation” (Verses 29-30). And when Anna heard what Simeon said, she shared it with everyone else she knew who was waiting expectantly.

Once again we are in a period of waiting—waiting for Jesus to come a second time. And we can expect that, like the first time, Jesus will be revealed to those who are waiting eagerly to see him. It might seem like it will never happen, and the world can tell us we are ridiculous to be looking for Jesus’ arrival. But don’t stop waiting and watching. God has promised, and Jesus will return.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

When have you found it especially hard to wait?

What does Simeon celebrate about Jesus? What does he prophecy about Jesus (see Luke 2:25-40)?

What are things that drain us of longing for Jesus to return? How can we nurture an eager longing for his return?