Simeon and Anna Got Patience

Ely Nevada Steam Engine

Our prayer train should be picking up steam now. And passengers - we need the prayers of those all around us. All aboard!

We pray now that the children will trust in God’s timing in their lives and know He keeps His promises. And we pray that VBS will help them grow in that trust and be a place to explore what this all means to them.

Our Bible point for Tuesday, day two of VBS, is ‘God gives us patience.’ The Bible verse we’ll be using to support the point is Psalm 27:14 – 

“Wait on the Lord;

    Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

    Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (New King James Version [NKJV])

The account of Simeon* and Anna from Luke 2: 21-40 will be told as an example of patience in God’s timing.

“²¹And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ²²And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. ²⁵And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him after the custom of the law, ²⁸then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

“²⁹Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord,

    According to thy word, in peace;

³⁰for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

    ³¹Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;

³²A light for revelation to the Gentiles,

    And the glory of thy people Israel.

³³And his father and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him; ³⁴and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against; ³⁵yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.

³⁶And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, ³⁷and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day. ³⁸And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹And when they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

⁴⁰And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.”

Pray that the VBS teachers and story tellers will be blessed by the Holy Spirit just as Simeon and Anna so we can teach the children from a point of revelation and wisdom. Pray that the children can open their minds to gain comprehension about what it meant for these two to wait so long for God’s personal word to them to come to pass. And, pray that we can all find the faith and patience to wait on the Lord for the fulfillment of His word to us.

Thank you for your partnership with the LCPC VBS staff in our quest to raise children to discipleship, one story and one act of caring at a time.

In His grip

Jer Bear

*My grandfather’s middle name is Simeon after this priest who had the word of God come to him regarding the Lord’s Christ. An extra tidbit that makes this account that much more special to me.

Peruvian children - traditionally dressed and with
their llamas