Anticipation Rewarded - Simeon

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 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

Luke 2:25-26

There may be no better picture of the excitement of anticipation than your family dog when you walk through the door at the end of the day. He runs to you wagging his tail, in anticipation of spending some quality time with his master. When you pick up his food dish, he dances around in anticipation of dinner.

Humans are also creatures of anticipation. Several studies have suggested that even the expectation of something good benefits our health and sense of well-being.

Anticipation can also have a positive effect on your walk with the Lord!

Simeon, an aging saint still alive when Jesus was born, illustrates what the anticipation of a blessing can do to a man. Simeon had lived a long life of such close fellowship with God that the Holy Spirit had told him that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the Messiah. Imagine the anticipation that filled Simeon’s every day!

Then one day, Simeon heard that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit telling him to go to the Temple. His heart probably pounded as he thought about what that might mean. This has to be the day, Simeon thought as he hurried from his home to his people’s place of worship.

When Simeon saw the baby Jesus, he knew immediately that this was the One he had been waiting for. He reacted with a mixture of joy, contentment, and relief at the fulfillment of the prophecy: “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people” (Luke 2:29-31).

You can receive God’s best blessings when, like Simeon, you listen to God, believe him, and wait expectantly for him to keep his promises.