Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Waiting for a lifetime! That is how my granddaughter felt when she was waiting for Christmas, every day was a lifetime and not having a real clear concept at three years old as to what a month or a week actually means, she was not sure if Christmas would ever really get here!

Waiting for a lifetime! Some of our confirmation students feel that way, especially those who are in ninth grade. It is not so much that they can hardly wait to finish confirmation, although there is that, but the idea that in just a year or two, maybe even less, they get can learn how to drive and get a driver's license. Well, it seems like a lifetime.

Waiting for a lifetime! Many of us could not wait to become adults, to become "grown-ups." Little did we know how good we had it!

Waiting for a lifetime! Remember how you waited and wanted to meet the person you knew you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? I recall that when I started dating Cindy I could not wait to get married. I would have married her in high school if possible. We went to two different colleges and the wait in between each of our visits seemed like a lifetime.

Waiting for a lifetime! That is what it seems like when you are waiting for the birth of a child, especially if you are the mom and you are pregnant!

Waiting for a lifetime! I wonder if Simeon felt like that was what he had been doing. Simeon had been waiting for the promised Messiah, not like waiting in line at a store or to buy tickets, but instead waiting to reach a goal, to see a dream fulfilled. I wonder if there were times when Simeon wished he could give up on his hope, on this promise of a Messiah. I wonder if he ever felt like the promise made to him was nothing more than wind in the trees.

But he hung in there, as they say, and that is the nature of faith, he was patient, and he trusted in God's promise. We all know the feeling of waiting in vain, the feeling of simply wanting to throw in the towel, to give up. We often live in hope of what some call immediate gratification, and we are ready to give up when what we want or are hoping for does not immediately happen.

Now I came across a saying which seems to stem from ancient Greek, it goes like this: "The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine." In other words, God is keeping his promises even though we do not always see it. And on the one hand, Simeon models patience. He has waited a lifetime and his response when he took the infant Jesus into his arms, his praise of God, is called the Nunc Dimittis, something I remember from my childhood using the old red Service Book and Hymnal. "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes of seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Anna on the other hand models for us what to do when a promise has been fulfilled. Talk about an enthusiastic response, praising God and speaking about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Talk about "go tell it on the mountain!" Her response is basic, it is essential to the life of the church! She cannot contain herself in sharing the good news, bringing others to a knowledge of God's love shown in the birth of Jesus Christ.

Oh, I know, we Lutherans are not always comfortable about sharing our faith, but sharing as Anna did is simply being enthusiastic about our faith. It is not "in your face" or "judgmental" to others. And this is something that each one of us can and should do in the new year that starts today. It is simply enthusiastic witnessing of our faith, what we say, what we live.

In this new year, may we at LCC grow and fulfill our mission, may you be an active, enthusiastic witness, may you let Simeon and Anna shape your response to the God news of God's love as shown to the world in Bethlehem! Amen.