Scripture Reading: Luke 2:21-40, Isaiah 49:5-6, 2 Corinthians 4:6
Have you ever been in a season of life where you were waiting on God? Have you spent days, months, or even years praying and waiting for something to change? Maybe you are waking up each day believing the Lord will keep His promise, even when it feels like nothing is happening. If that has been you, you’re in good company.
Most of us don’t usually associate waiting with being joyful. We associate that discomfort of the in-between with things like waiting for your turn at the DMV or going through security at the airport.
Waiting in itself isn’t pleasant; in fact, it’s usually uncomfortable. But that time of being in the “not quite yet” stage gives us an opportunity—a chance to cultivate a mindset of gratitude for the thing we are waiting for. Then, when the promise comes to fruition, it makes the revelation that much sweeter.
The greatest promise that we’ve ever received is found right here in Luke 2:
… a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.
—Luke 2:32
The stories of Simeon and Anna in this chapter are so moving because they live in the exact opposite way of how so many of us have learned to live.
Simeon had been watching and waiting his entire life for Israel’s restoration. He was led by the Holy Spirit, holding tightly to God’s promise that he would see the Messiah before he died (Luke 2:25–26).
Instead of falling into unbelief or being distracted by the things of this world, Simeon stayed in tune with God’s voice. Then came this glorious day when Scripture says he was moved by the Spirit to go to the temple and see Jesus (v.27).
Anna was an older widow, and the Bible says that she never left the temple. Her entire life was spent worshipping, fasting, and praying (vv.36–37). When Jesus came, she confirmed to everyone who was waiting for redemption that this child was their answered prayer (v.38).
Can you imagine all that they must have felt in these moments? The confirmation of all that God had said revealed through these two people must have been overwhelming.
These moments in the temple were holy and anointed—the types of encounters that only God could have orchestrated.
These days, we are so quick to want gratification right now. We wrestle with God for not being on our timing or doing things in the way we feel like He should. But oh, the way He reveals Himself, oh, the promises that come to fruition when we wait!
Written by Abby Flynn
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90 thoughts on "Jesus Presented at the Temple"
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Oh to be like Simeon and Anna! What great examples. Thank you for highlighting them!
If we don’t enjoy the journey, we miss so many good moments. Praying today and every day to be present in the moment. To not always be searching for the next best, but know and love everything God has blessed me with right now.
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Amen.
Today really reminded me of the beauty of waiting on God. Simeon and Anna waited faithfully, and when Jesus came, they recognized Him immediately. It encourages me to trust God’s timing and to keep my heart expectant, believing He still reveals Himself in powerful ways when we wait on Him ❤️
Amen!
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Jesus, light of the World, shone in the darkness. Jesus reveals the hearts of man. Jesus brought salvation down to earth and He reigns forever. Oh, Lord, you had the perfect plan all along to bring light to all the nations so that we all might become part of your family. Thank you Jesus!
Musical icon, Tom Petty sings it best, “The Waiting is the Hardest Part.” The problem for me is not knowing what I am waiting for. I seem to think conditions have to be perfect and set in place before I can take action. “I’ll do my Advent reading after I do the dishes. I won’t invite my neighbor over for coffee until the house is clean.” I can come to Jesus now and don’t have to wait until I am in a good mood, or spiritual mood, I can come now. The waiting is over I have all I need to come to Jesus and grown my relationship with him. Praise God!
It’s a desire of mine to get married one day and have a family, but I’ve still never had a boyfriend. Instead of getting down on myself in the midst of my waiting, I will instead be content in my singleness and trust that it will be worth it to wait for God’s best for me!
Amen!
Amen, Delaney.. God is faithful, I will stand in the waiting with you, hope-filled, God trusting and forever thankful for the blessings in between..
Much love..❤️
Amen, sister! The Lord sees us that are single and will use us according to his plan.
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I struggle a lot with waiting, but God has been gracious and patient with me. He has continued to bless me despite my impatience. May I choose to seek joy and peace in seasons of waiting, so I may see His abundant love for me.
Waiting is so hard! I’ve been waiting this whole year for a job so we can move. Three times I’ve gotten through the job hire process to be 1 of 2 and yet I was the one not picked. Waiting is so hard but one of the greatest gifts this Advent season has been learning to wait joyfully. Unconditional hope!
I woke up with some anxiety, irritability, and some discontent. Christmas has been amazing and for the first time I truly looked forward to celebrating and engaging with Advent. Perhaps it’s just that I didn’t sleep well or I’m just as confused about what day it is like so many folks on vacation from work for several days, but I felt a sort of emptiness. It felt so rude and unwarranted, particularly given the copious amount of blessings and gratitude I have around me. Now that Christ is born, do the decorations go away? Absolutely not! Nor should they in our hearts.
I’ve struggled to find calm today to pay attention to the discomfort in my heart and speak to God in prayer; however, today’s reading, reflection, and community sharing is helping me to step out of myself and be present. Thank you, sisters… ❤️
Dear Michelle, so glad that you are here reading with everyone! Thank you for sharing what you shared – I think that is a very relatable feeling and you are definitely not alone!
Michelle, there is a hype, i think about Christmas, a lot of energy is put into it, breathes are held in anticipation, for things to be just so. Then, its over, pop, a sort of deflation. the big day over, family off home, i dont tjink your feelings are unique.. Keep holding fast to what the true meaning of Christmas is..
Emmanuel.. God with us, always.. you will find the peace..❤️
I waited to get married and have children of my own. It seemed like I waited forever, and then God seemed to answer my prayer so quickly. I met my husband and we were married within 11 months. Then we had our first daughter when we had been married for two years. God has been so faithful to me, keeping his promises. I will have to remember all the ways he has already answered his promises to me for things I have to wait for in the future. ❤️
Jennifer, He truly is faithful..❤️
Help me be a blessing while I’m waiting.
What a great sentiment/prayer. ❤️
I went through a big waiting time. Waiting on a cure for my son. To have it happen and he didn’t qualify to be in the study. I stopped believing in miracles for awhile. Then I was waiting on my husband to retire. He had a very high profile job and I was alone often. BUT, I grew closer to God in all that waiting. I actually felt the closest to Him than I ever have.
That is some hard waiting Traci!
Traci.. that wait, I hear you..
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BUT GOD..
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Hugs covered in love, dear heart❤️
“We wrestle with God for not being on our timing or doing things in the way we feel like He should. But oh, the way He reveals Himself, oh, the promises that come to fruition when we wait!”
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I do wrestle in the waiting. Not only do I wrestle, I grumble and complain – not cool!
I want to wait patiently, expectantly for answers to prayers that have been prayed for many years…to see God’s plan for our ministry and to bring the increase, to see my two sons come to the faith they were raised in, to see my in-laws come to faith in Christ – to see hopeful, encouraging changes.
But as I am reminded over and over again in scripture – it’s all in God’s appointed time, not in mine.
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Christmas didn’t go quite as expected or planned. My dear friend and MIL to my daughter got sick the beginning of the week and was not able to participate in any of the Christmas celebrations. My daughter – who is 6 months pregnant with our 2nd grand-baby, arrived with her husband and daughter but was not feeling well and ended up spending the entire day sleeping in the guest room…I forgot to start the potatoes on time and completely forgot to make the veggie side, until it was to late and what I had planned to say about Christmas and family and Jesus all got swept aside do to the chaos of being behind on the meal! — All of this would definitely not have been my timing on everything and I don’t understand why it all had to happen the way it did – but God is God, He does as He pleases and His timing and His way are always perfect!
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Today may I glorify Him and give Him praise and thanks for yesterday, in spite of how it turned out. Jesus has come, He is Lord and He’s coming again – praise His Holy name!
Hallelujah!!
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To all of those who celebrate it – Happy Boxing Day!
I loved that you shared your “messy, interrupted” Christmas day, it just shows that many do end up like that, but our God is still perfect even if our celebrations aren’t! My Christmases have been really awful the last few years…but it’s not just a day, He came for our heart. I remember some other bad ones…after surgery when I couldn’t really stand or sit, the year after divorce when I was alone, being in a stalemate with my husband not talking to each other, my first migraine on a Thanksgiving day and I was in bed all day wondering what was happening because it felt like a knife in my head. lol. But the light comes in the morning!!
Sharon, i was reminded of the feeding of the five thousand, i know you were not feeding thst number, but the reminder was that people were fed.. bread and fish.. they were fed, spiritually and physically.. JESUS was at your table, present and blessing in the ‘not according to plan’ situation. He was near.
Much love, my dear..❤️
May I fine gratitude and HOPE in the waiting for the promises of God.
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So many good observations on waiting. Special recognition to Allison Bently, Mary and Erica Chiarelli.
My mind went off topic focusing on Simeon’s words to Mary “and a sword will pierce your soul also “ I have been sitting with this prophetic sentence all week. I came home from a preschool Christmas concert last week to the news of an Uncle’s passing. My cousin’s struggles with emotions and responsibilities have been heart rendering but also oddly hopeful. God brought Simeon’s words to Mary to my notice and I remembered the piercing of Jesus in order that I would be redeemed, God’s righteous will fulfilled and His kingdom would be a light to all nations. Such hope in a moment of great loss. I can scarcely comprehend.Such peace. May we all wait well.
So Good Cindy- that too stood out to me but I couldn’t expound on it! Thank you for putting it into expression!
So sorry to hear of your uncle’s passing Cindy. Praying for your cousin as they work through the emotions of losing a father and the responsibilities that follow.
Cindy, I am sorry for your loss.. prayerful your family will know Gods peace at this sad time.
Hugs..❤️
I am waiting…waiting…waiting for the salvation of my family–adults and grands…praying and praying!
Yes! Praying faithfully for our unsaved family, and the lukewarm to catch the fire and urgency!
Same. Amen. ❤️
Gina, you do not wait alone..
there are many of us on that journey of waiting for our prodigals to know the hope we have, the Jesus we know..the God we serve..
It shall be so ., in His timing, for sure… He is faithful and true and a promise keeper. Amen..❤️
GM!
Praying all of you She’s had a good Christmas! For years this would be the day my family packed up and would travel to meet everyone at my Daddio’s and Madre’s house. Unfortunately that hasn’t happened in more than a decade since my madre’s passing. We tried for a few years after, but it was never the same, and dissipated quickly. I didn’t even go to my dad’s the last few years, which really seems unthinkable, but change happens, time moves on and traditions change. But it’s hard. We don’t like it.
Same as Waiting. We don’t like it, we don’t want it. But the hard has purpose- growth, reliance, resilience, strength, perseverance…the roots in the Lord grow deeper. We let the light penetrates the darkness, and it spreads. It opens the doors and windows to the rooms shut away.
But we have to be mindful of the negative in the wait-
We can stay stagnant, we can drift from God. We might get angry and lose our faith. In the wait, to grow, we must stay close to God. Stay in the word, meditate, fast and pray, and stay connected in fellowship and study with other believers. We can lament and wrestle with God, and ask the why’s and how’s! We stay. We serve.
God does many things in our wait when we wait and recognize his purposes! When I waited in a devestating loss of marriage- it reignited my relationship with the Lord! When I waited on him, he sent me my perfect marriage partner. When I waited in pain that was increasing I started a Chronic Pain group at church with another sufferer. There are countless more…(and worthy of writing down to remember). OH…big one- After a life-altering surgery that took away my strength and health…he led me to open my own business (more a passion),Restorative Health studio! Good things come out of the wait if we trust his perfect plans. Maybe it’s just to rest and take a life break from the busyness? To give more time to something he wants you to see.
As usual I can go on forever when talking about the Goodness of God and lessons to be learned! “By the words of our testimonies…” Amen!
Am I a Simeon…always alert and doing God’s work until his arrival? Am I an Anna- Waiting faithfully KNOWING his plans and purpose for me!?
After I finished this my attention turned to the song that was playing on the speaker. (nothing is better than sitting in my swing on the porch on a sunny warm morning the day after Christmas with a beautiful bougainvillea in bloom!)
I had never heard this song called “In the fullness of Time”
“In the fullness of time” means at the perfect, appointed moment, often referring to God sending Jesus Christ when historical, political (Roman peace, common language), and prophetic conditions were ideal for the Gospel’s arrival, fulfilling ancient promises and ushering in a new era of spiritual redemption, signifying a divinely orchestrated culmination rather than mere chance. It speaks to God’s complete plan unfolding exactly as intended, marking a pivotal point in history.
Core Meanings
Perfect Timing: The exact right moment for a significant event to occur, set by God.
Fulfillment: The culmination of prophecies and long-awaited promises, especially related to the Messiah.
Divine Plan: God’s sovereign governance over history (Kronos and Kairos) bringing events to a final purpose.
Biblical Context (Galatians 4:4-7)
Jesus’s Birth: God sent His Son, Jesus, “in the fullness of time” to redeem humanity from the Law’s condemnation, making way for adoption as sons and daughters.
Historical Readiness: Conditions like Roman unity and a common Greek language (Koine Greek) facilitated the spread of the Gospel.
Spiritual Transition: It marked the shift from the Law’s guardianship to the Spirit’s presence, changing believers’ status from slaves to heirs.
So appropriate for the wait example today and it’s fullfillment in Simeon and Anna’s life.
None of us is a stranger to waiting and we can all relate to the tension of that. Depending on the circumstance waiting can paralyze us but as those who know and love Jesus we also know, we wait in hope. And so the challenge is to keep pressing on in what we know to be true. To live in faithful obedience to the Lord, to worship, to serve, to proclaim the good news and to shine light in the darkness. Simeon and Anna example that we read of in our passages today is a reminder of what waiting well looks like and a challenge for me to keep in check and adjust my heart, mind, attitude and resolve to waiting well. May this be so in my life as well.
YES Amen!!
Amen! Adjusting my heart, mind and attitude while waiting is what I need to improve on this new year.
Wendy..Amen!❤️
“We wrestle with God for not being on our timing or doing things in the way we feel like He should. But oh, the way He reveals Himself, oh, the promises that come to fruition when we wait!” Amen, Abby Flynn
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From He Reads Truth:
“The One who was held in Simeon’s arms that day now holds all who believe.”- Cameron Magby
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As always with this passage, I am reminded of one of my favorite songs by Michael Card.
SONG SHARE:
Simeon’s Song (chorus and last verse)
Chorus:
Now that I’ve held Him in my arms
My life can come to an end
Let your servant now depart in peace
‘Cause I’ve seen Your salvation
He’s the light of the gentiles
And the glory of His people, Israel
clising verse:
And now’s the time to take Him in your arms
Your life will never come to an end
He’s the only way that you’ll find peace
He’ll give you salvation
He’s the light of the gentiles
And the glory of His people, Israel
Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤
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What struck me in the reading today was how well both Simeon and Anna waited. Simeon was “looking forward to Israel’s consolation”, serving and in tune with the Holy Spirit, Anna lived her life in worship. I, on the other had, do not wait well. I want God’s promises yesterday, especially for my children. And I can get distracted by what seems to me a lack of any movement on God’s part. I tend to focus on the size of the problem instead of the size of our God, who is able to do immeasurably more than I can even imagine. Lord, show me how to wait with faith, gratitude, and joy like Simeon and Anna.
Amen!!
You speak for many, Tami! ❤
Yes, Amen!
So true..❤️
Amen
I agree with the waiting for God’s promises for our children. It’s so hard! However, I would rather things unfold in His time rather than ours, because His timing is best. May God’s promises bless our children and ourselves and may we see those promises unfold on this side of heaven.
Amen! As believers, we always wait in hope!
Dear Father, may I exchange my disappointment and frustration (in the waiting) for expectancy and gratitude in 2026.
So grateful for SRT and the tools they provide for us to be Women in the Word every day! Looking forward to a new year of God moving and speaking to us as we are committed to being in His Word.
Amen! ❤
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Amen..❤️
Simeon and Anna waited faithfully and seemingly patiently.
Do I???
There has been a lot of waiting in my life (yours too, right?) in 2025, and most (likely all) of these areas of waiting will be carried into at least 2026.
Waiting for diagnoses of family members and friends, waiting for results, waiting for healing of physical and especially of mental challenges, waiting for salvation of the lost, waiting for peace in families, waiting, waiting, waiting.
That’s not to say I haven’t seen answers in some areas, been awed by a mighty work of the Lord in the life of someone dear to me, been blessed to see a medical miracle in the life of another person dear to me, been amazed (and thankful!!) of one person surviving what could easily have been a fatal event.
Praying, as the wrapping paper and decorations are put away, that we can remember what the Lord has done in 2025 (and will do in the next few days) with thankfulness, even thanking Him for the waiting while He continues to work His plan for us.
Amen!!
Beautifully expressed, Searching! Thank you for sharing many of those situations with us for prayer. We can all look back and rejoice with you in those answered prayers as we wait with you for the other answers (not unanswered, just not yet answers). Love you, sister! ❤❤❤
Amen. Thank you for these reminders Searching.
So good!❤️
So beautifully said, Searching.. Amen.❤️
From He Reads Truth today, “Like Simeon and Anna, would our lives be marked by the proclamation of this good news until we, like them, get to see Him face-to-face.”
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Amen, may it be so.
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Happy Boxing Day.
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Amen, indeed, and may it be so!❤️
I praise You in the storm.
Praying your storm passes quickly. ❤️
Now, we wait for His Glorious return! Oh what a day that will be! Be ready, be waiting, be watching!
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This isn’t the first time we’ve explored the theme of waiting in the context of Advent, but this particular study deeply resonated with me. It invited me to slow down and truly notice the joy and the introspection that waiting can hold.
2025 was very much a year of waiting for me and my family. That season brought clarity to areas of our lives that needed attention, sometimes in ways that weren’t especially comfortable. Yet it also gently reoriented my heart, inviting me into a different kind of waiting as I look toward 2026— one rooted less in striving and more in stillness, attentiveness, and listening for God’s purpose in my life.
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They say when waiting, do what waiters do…serve!
May we be found Going about our Father’s business each and every day as we wait, faithful to His calling in us!
I love this Erica, “they say when waiting to do what waiters do… Serve!” Made my day!
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Clever! ❤️
That is so cool, Erica.. may I go about my Fathers business, as I wait/serve.❤️
I pray that I will worship in the waiting.
Amen!❤️
Worship in the waiting.. Amen.❤️
2 Corinthians 4 v 6:
‘For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness”, made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ’.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you that you do not want us to remain in darkness. Even in waiting seasons, help to remind us that we have your light shining in our hearts. May this light shine and radiate. Amen
Amen❤️
Amen.❤️