The other day I was sick and needed to get into Urgent Care as soon as possible. I looked on line at various Urgent care locations and discovered that they posted their wait times online. I drove past 2 locations with hour+ long wait time to arrive an an urgent care with no posted wait time. Why? Because no body likes to wait. We are live in a time and place with shortest and fewest wait times. We have the lowest levels of patience when it comes to waiting. Instead of waiting, we take out our phones and do something. Waiting in faith is hard for us. 

In the gospel this Sunday we read about Simeon who the Holy Spirit had told him that he wouldn’t die until he saw the savior of Israel. He had to wait. Simeon waited day in and day out in the temple for the Lord to come. He didn’t know when Jesus was coming, but he still waited. How many little babies did Simeon hold hoping and wishing for the Messiah only to realize he had more waiting to do?

Can you imagine Simeon’s joy, delight, and exhilaration when he finally Jesus in his arms? That experience of anticipation and fulfillment must have be the core of Simeon’s faith. Yet, Simeon’s faith didn’t come from God’s fulfillment of his promise, but front he promise itself. Simeon waited in faith because he trusted God. 

Far too often when we pray we expect God to answer prayers faster than Amazon. We want what we want, when we want it, which is now. We are high-demand consumers of God’s love and goodness and we want our demands/prayers met in a timely manner. 

God knows our hearts. He knows and desires what is best for us. God responds to all prayers with either yes, no, or wait. Sometimes the waiting is the best thing that could happen to us. It is in the waiting that the Holy Spirit works. Sometimes it is in the waiting where we meat God face to face. 

LIVE IT: Find someone you trust to ask the following 4 questions:

1. Are you good at waiting? Why or why not? 
2. Are you waiting for anything right now?
3. What have you learned while waiting for something?
4. Have you ever waited for God to do something? What happened?

Sunday Readings for February 2nd, 2020.