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Thursday, February 02, 2006 Meditation Luke 2:22-40 “Lord, grant me patience—and hurry up!” How many times have you said a prayer like this? In a world that pretends to offer immediate solutions to complex problems, instant success at work, and no delay in giving us gratification, the virtue of patience seems to have lost its sheen a bit. Even in prayer, it is tempting to look for immediate answers to our requests, or to have an immediate experience of the Lord. Then, when nothing seems to happen, it’s equally as tempting to become frustrated and wonder why God isn’t answering us. “Does he not care?” we may wonder. “Do I even know how to pray? Or maybe I’m asking for the wrong thing, and God’s about to punish me for my lack of faith.” More likely than not, however, none of these is the real answer. It’s more likely that we have forgotten that our plans are not always his plans and our ways are not always his ways. That’s why this feast day is so important for us. Simeon and Anna have much to teach us about patient prayer. Both of them had been looking forward to the time when God’s rule would be restored to Jerusalem, but they never showed any signs of frustration or impatience. Instead, Luke tells us that Simeon was a righteous and devout man who never wavered in his hope for the coming of the Messiah, while Anna had devoted her life to prayer and fasting in the Temple in anticipation of the Christ. Despite their anxious waiting, they continued to persist in righteousness and holiness, never allowing their own agendas and personal desires to distract them from their vigil. How different the church would be if we all followed the example of these two holy people! Imagine the sense of peace and trust in the Lord that would characterize our gatherings. Or think of how much more open we would be to embracing God’s plan for our lives instead of trying to push our own agendas. May we all “present” ourselves to the Lord and, like Simeon and Anna, wait patiently for him to reveal himself to us! “Lord Jesus, even though it is hard to be patient in prayer, I believe that you always hear me and will never forsake me. In times of doubt, help me to remember Simeon and Anna and their trust in your promises.” Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24:7-10; Hebrews 2:14-18 |