They could have easily been passed by as just two old people. We might think today that Anna and Simeon were just a little eccentric, but the Spirit of the Lord was on their lives. What we must remember about them is that they were people of worship and hope in an era when hope was scarce. Some of the religious leaders of the day went to the temple to maintain their sects and bolster their power. By contrast, these two believed that God would rescue and redeem Israel. They prayed for it. They breathed it. It was what got them up in the morning. It was the one thing about which they were passionate. They found their hopes fulfilled in Jesus, and so do we. May that get us up every morning.
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him”… Anna “did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:25, 37b-38 (ESV)
