A Patient Heart
29/12/2024
Simeon and Anna were old – really old! From all outward appearances, they were completely out of time. They had waited and anticipated God’s provision, but as the end drew near, there seemed to be no way God could keep His promise. But that did not prevent Simeon and Anna from hoping and faithfully waiting for God. Join us for week five of The Heart of Worship as we explore how a heart of worship is a heart that patiently waits on the Lord.
Passage
Luke 2:25-40
Principle
A heart of worship is a heart that ##patiently## ##waits## on God.
- ##Jesus## is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises, and the ##Holy## ##Spirit## is His deposit while we wait:
- This world is not our ##home##, and this life is not the ##end##, so a lifetime is not too long to wait:
- God’s delay is for our ##good## and will not last longer than ##necessary##.
Practice
Consider how God may be using a season of waiting to strengthen your faith and draw you closer to Himself.
- List the things you are currently waiting for:
- How can you make those times of waiting active rather than passive?
- How might God be waiting on you?
Small Group Questions
Use this outline for personal reflection, as a couples or family devotion, or with a small group.
HANGOUT
The word “patience” in the Bible can also be translated as “long-suffering.” How does that translation help you understand being patient? This week’s sermon focuses on Simeon and Anna and how they faithfully waited to see the fulfillment of God’s promises. Have you ever experienced (or are you now experiencing) a prolonged period of waiting? What effect has waiting had on your faith?
HEAR
Read Isaiah 40:1-5
- These words were written 700 years before the birth of Jesus. What did they mean to their original audience? How do these words apply to Jesus?
- Roads made straight, valleys elevated, mountains flattened – What do these images have in common, and how do they connect to verse 5?
- What obstructs our view of God today? How might these verses apply?
Read Isaiah 40:6-20
- (Verses 6-8) God wants to remind His people how short life is. For some, this can lead to a hedonistic approach to life (“eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die”). For others, it can lead to despair and hopelessness. Based on these verses, what is a biblical understanding of the brevity of life?
- (Verses 9-17) While our individual lives are like grass (vs. 6-8), our collective efforts still don’t compare to God. Why is this an essential perspective for believers today? How should this affect how we live and interact with the culture around us?
- (Verses 18-20) After addressing the brevity of our individual lives and the inadequacy of our collective societies, Isaiah turns to our religious efforts as represented through the idols we worship. Though we rarely view our contemporary belongings and technology as "idols," these verses invite meaningful comparisons. If you were to make a modern paraphrase of these verses, what would they say?
- These verses move from addressing the fragility of our individual lives to our governments to our religion. What is God saying to you through this passage?
Read Isaiah 40:27-31
- In verse 27, the prophet puts words in the mouth of God’s people. Why might God’s people have felt hidden from and disregarded by God? Why might His people feel that way today?
- How can understanding and accepting our weaknesses make us stronger? What is the key to exchanging our weakness for God’s strength? How does this relate to Isaiah’s earlier prophecy about Messiah Jesus?
- The Hebrew word translated as “wait” in verse 31 can also translated as “hope.” What is the connection between these two words? Why should they not be separated? What happens when they are? In what ways are you hopefully waiting on God today?
HUDDLE
What are the biggest obstacles you face in your relationship with Christ? What do these obstacles reveal about you and your current relationship with God? What would it take for those obstacles to be removed? Invite accountability and pray together.
Reading Plan + Prayer Guide
Monday
Luke 2:25-35
Thank God for fulfilling all His promises in His time. Pray for the faith to believe He is always faithful in accomplishing what He said He would do.
Tuesday
Luke 2:36-40
Pray for those you know who are waiting on the Lord. Pray that they will have Anna's faith and persistence.
Wednesday
Hebrews 11:1-16
Acknowledge that faith comes from God and that you would have no faith apart from Him. Confess where you lack faith and ask Him to give you the faith to believe what you cannot see.
Thursday
2 Corinthians 1:20-22
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand and believe that all of God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus. Thank Him for His Holy Spirit and invite the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you today.
Friday
Habakkuk 2:3
Ask God to give you His vision for your life and family. Pray for the faith to believe He will accomplish His work without delay. Ask God to give you patience as you wait on Him.