26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
What a cast of characters greeting Jesus: shepherds, wise men, and now Simeon. God had somehow communicated to Simeon the approximate timing of the birth of the Messiah. His death was put on hold until Jesus showed up. I picture him going day after day to the temple to see the babies brought in for their cleansing and dedication. He must have asked himself a thousand times, “Is today the day?” Have you every had to wait for something good you knew was going to happen, but you didn’t know exactly when it was going to happen? That sense of anticipation and anxiousness can get overwhelming as you wait. Simeon was waiting for the greatest event in human history and he knew it! He might have even run to the temple every morning. I can imagine him having some sleepless nights, tossing and turning. Some people can’t handle knowing anything about their future. They want to live only in the moment. Some people spend all their time living in the past. Some people seem to live in the future and not enjoy the present. We don’t know how long Simeon knew this information, all we know is that he was waiting. How long are we willing to wait for God to fulfill a promise? Are we so impatient that we try to do things ourselves? Do you jump ahead and miss the timing of the Lord? Or are you so slow to recognize the voice of God that you miss out altogether on His plan for your life? I want to say to you today, that the Lord wants to make His will known to you in clear ways. Just as Simeon heard from the Lord and waited, so we must learn to listen and then wait for the answer.
The Arnold Journey 