Simeon & Anna's Christmas

Introduction

Dr. Chinonso Egemba, a Nigerian influencer also known as Aproko Doctor, recently shared a story on Twitter about accompanying his wife to a hair salon.

In his tweet he said spent about  four hours waiting for his wife to finish at the hair salon.

However, some women responded to his tweet claiming that he did not spend as much time as he should have, as getting hair done can take much longer than four hours.

He also said he would remind constantly on how he waited four hours for her at the salon

Luke 2:21 (NIV)

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Luke 2:25–26 (NLT)

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 2:29–32 (ESV)

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for 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 2:36–38 (NIV)

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

In a quaint village, there lived an elderly gardener named Samuel. He was known for his remarkable patience and unwavering trust in the growth process of plants. One day, a young boy named Daniel visited Samuel's garden and asked, "Sir, why are you so patient with your garden? Why don't you rush or become anxious?"

Samuel smiled and beckoned the boy closer. "Let me show you something," he said. He led Daniel to a small corner of his garden where a tiny sapling stood. "This sapling (the young tree)," Samuel began, "was once just a seed. I planted it here and waited. Every day, I watered it, tended to its needs, and protected it from harsh weather. But most importantly, I waited."

Perplexed, Daniel asked, "Waited for what?"

"For its time to grow," Samuel replied. "You see, waiting isn't about doing nothing. It's about nurturing, being faithful, and trusting the process. Just like this sapling, our lives are often like seeds planted in God's hands. We must wait, trust, and allow Him to work in His time."

In the Bible, Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Waiting for the Lord doesn't mean idleness; it's an active faith, a persistent trust that God is working behind the scenes for our good.

Sometimes, we might feel like our prayers are unheard or our situations are stagnant. But just as Samuel tended to his garden, diligently caring for each plant, God tends to our lives, nurturing us in His perfect timing.

Friends, waiting for the Lord doesn't mean standing still in despair. It's an opportunity to grow in faith, patience, and perseverance. Let's water our lives with prayer, nurture our hearts with God's Word, and trust that in due time, like the sapling growing into a mighty tree, God will bring forth beauty and purpose from our waiting.

May we learn from the patient gardener, Samuel, and embrace the art of waiting on the Lord with hope, faith, and expectancy.

1. WORSHIPPING

2. WAITING Waiting on the Lord is no easy virtue, but it is also not a desperate time.

Instead, waiting on the Lord is an act full of trust and faith, a trust and faith revealed in action.

Waiting on the Lord transforms our gloomy evenings with the expectancy of the bright morning (Ps. 30:5, Ps. 143:8).

Waiting on the Lord strengthens our hearts with renewed hope and peace. Waiting on the Lord motivates us to work harder because will be richly rewarded as the Lord is faithful to all His promises (Ps. 126:6, Matt. 9:36–38). As we are going to have the communion service, let us remember that the experience of having Jesus’ birth does not only bring:

-joy and humility just like what the Shepherds.

-respect and dignity depicted by what the Wise Men did to Jesus. -struggle and surrender shown by Jesus’ parents, Joseph and Mary

this life is more complex and sophisticated than we imagine.

THE CHRISTMAS, or in others words, I would say, the experience of being in Jesus’ presence also brings us PROCESS OF WAITING on the LORD. It is clear to Simeon and Anna.

I don’t know what problems come to your ways… some of you may be devastated with physical ilnesses, perhaps it is not you who fall sick as you are here physically present, but your beloved one or those around who are still fighting for life.

After that some of you may find financial difficulties due to joblessness, debts piling up, or any others. It is just so hard to find solutions for your Some of us here also should face social expectations such as dream of having children, enormous questions of when to get married, who is going to be your life partner, and whatever people say…many do not understand your real situations. And deep down in your heart, you cry just like this verse say...

Psalm 142:1–2 ESV

With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.

Yes, Jesus’ name is above any disease, His love is above the loneliness, He is above our problems, even the Lord’s blessings are above money, INDEED the presence of God is above all things on earth.

Therefore, as we partake in this communion let us remember that if we walk in the way of the Lord, we are able to wait on Him.

We wait for Jesus Christ, because His example

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the great example for us to be painful in suffering with the hope that OUR LIFE IS LIKE A WORSHIP.

Romans 12:1 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.