Hannah and Simeon are two characters mentioned in the Bible that deserve special attention. Hannah, elderly and zealous, likely drew the tired grumbling of temple-goers as she fasted, prayed, and lifted her voice day and night, longing for the redemption that would one day come to Jerusalem. Simeon, elderly yet quiet, is known as a just and devout man; he walks with an unsettled certainty into the Temple daily to perform his duties. He waits, as does Hannah, for the redeemer to arrive, but his waiting carries with it the past spiritual encounter that has promised he should not die before the Messiah comes.
Two individuals, devout and zealous in their ways, have been awaiting the coming Messiah. Their prayer of expectation comes from a portion of blessings from a prayer called the Amidah, and it goes a little like this: Speedily cause the offspring of your servant David to flourish, and let him be exalted by your saving power, for we wait all day long for your salvation. Blessed are you, Adonai, who causes salvation to flourish.
This prayer of expectation, lifted daily in the Temple, is the prelude to revelation. Understanding this is critical!
These two indeed carry presuppositions regarding who, what, when, where, and how the Messiah would be revealed. Like others of the day, they had heard all the teachings and likely leaned into the lessons regarding the anticipated Messiah. But what made these two different? I believe the difference is not simply realized in their fervent expectation demonstrated in daily prayer and practice but in their willingness to be surprised by God.
Surprised by God
It is one thing to expect an answer from God but another entirely to allow one to be surprised by God. What do I mean by this? How often have we engaged in daily prayers, believing and expecting God to answer our calls, only to limit God by containing Him to our expectations of HOW the answer will arrive?
In the Temple, no one was looking into the folds of swaddled clothing clutched by wearied mothers for the Messiah. Nobody was looking for a child’s weakness or a babe’s vulnerability! Few were paying attention to the sound of the coins that fell into the chest that secured the poor offering of a turtledove to redeem a firstborn child. But that is how Christ came.
Somehow, though, Hannah and Simeon recognized the Messiah upon His arrival in his mother’s arms amidst the prevailing traditions, anticipations, and presuppositions of the day. While others in the Temple prayed the Amidah, these two stood out simply because their expectation didn’t come with expectations.
They expected his arrival, but that and all its details were in God’s mighty hands. Their job wasn’t to inform God of the HOW, the WHEN, the WHAT, or the WHERE. No, their eyes were open to the unexpected. I’m sure they had opinions of how, when, what, and where, but when they prayed, they prayed with an expectation and a willingness to be surprised by God.
When we are not looking, we can often be found looking.
Unexpectantly Expect
If you look only at the northern horizon, it is difficult, nigh impossible, to catch something from the South. Too many daily prayers, I fear, fall short, not for lack of faith but due to the expectations we attach to them. We believe God can, but we inform Him how, maybe not in words, but where our gaze is too often fixed. For Hannah and Simeon, the backdrop of Messianic expectations among their fellow Jews was riddled with expectations of royalty and revolution. I’m sure, for them, should God decide to come through royalty or revolution, that was for God alone to decide. However, both looked through eyes that were willing to look everywhere. This is the revelation of expectation.
Expect, but allow yourself to be surprised by God.
When they glanced at the common woman bearing a swaddled babe redeemed of a few coins and a turtledove, they instantly knew the babe to be the Messiah. Long before Peter, James, or John would recognize Christ, these two recognized the Glory not advanced upon a chariot of gold but among the folds of swaddling held by a young mother who had never known a man.
This year, pray with expectation but not with expectations.