Simeon and Anna

by Pastor Marty

Simeon and Anna. We bump into these two in the Temple (Luke 2:22-38). Both are faith-filled, devout people who spend much of their time in the Temple worshiping, praying, and fasting. Both are described as being under the influence of the Spirit. Both are grabbed by God’s promising future in the Christ-child. Both are presumably old, but forever, young. Both, because of their contact with Jesus, are seemingly born again to a living hope. Both look to the future with joy and delight!

Soon we will say goodbye to 2020 and welcome a whole new year. This past year has been disruptive and challenging and turning the page of our calendars will be like hitting the reset button. The passage to 2021 will be met with much celebration. We get to start over. We get to try again. We get to begin, again! We might even have a list of New Year’s resolutions by which we convince ourselves that it will be different this next year. Either way, the excitement and energy surrounding a new year certainly invite, even beg for new possibilities!

What if, what if this next year we go looking for people like Simeon and Anna? We look for people who live with expectant hope and who are under the influence of the Spirit. We look for Simeon and Anna because they are good for our souls. Every faith community has them. Every faith community needs them. People who make us laugh. People who are astonished with life and take a knee in gratitude. People who celebrate what is right with the world. People who have suffered mightily but are resilient in living with expectant hope. People who are fun. People who you can share a meal with and just be yourself! People who you can trust and share life with. People who live, love, and lead like Jesus. People, you know those kinds of people, who are good for your soul!

Go, go find Simeon and Anna. Go, find people who are good for you! Invite them for dinner (maybe later in 2021!). Call them on the phone. Drop an email. Text them. Visit them. Spend time with them. Feed your spirit. Simeon and Anna draw us into their circle of influence as they live with expectant hope because of the promise of the Christ-child. In 2021, go and find people like Simeon and Anna – you will be glad that you did!

Happy New Year!

-- Pastor Marty

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