On Nativity Scenes and Waiting

December 2023

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.  Luke 2:29-32

What do cork, tile, sardines, and nativity scenes have in common? They are all points of pride for the country of Portugal! Darla and I recently made our first trip there and we were amazed by their sheer volume of cork production, the handiwork of local tile artisans, and the variety of sardines to choose from. 

The nativity scenes, though, captured my attention most because they’ve always held a special place in my heart. These scenes may not exactly represent what occurred in the stable on the night that Jesus was born, but the symbolism of these men and women from the New Testament, shoulder to shoulder as God’s plan for redeeming humanity unfolds, is beautiful to me. 

And, because I believe that Jesus as a child was a playful and joyful little boy, I do find some fun in moving him from his place next to his mother in the scene to other discreet locations, like laying next to the sheep or climbing onto the back of a camel. It drives my family crazy. But I digress. 

The Bible has many rich layers and it’s simply not possible for everyone who played a role in the story of Christ’s birth to be visually represented in the nativity scene. But two intersecting stories that I wish were included would be those of Simeon and the prophetess Anna. Told immediately following the story of the shepherds in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 2:21-38), Simeon and Anna, advanced in years, had long waited to see God’s promise fulfilled for restoration of Jerusalem. 

According to Jewish law, after 40 days of “purification” (like a maternity leave), mothers and infants would be brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord. Mary and Jesus were no different so she and Joseph went to the temple in Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord. 

The passage tells us that Simeon was moved by the Spirit to go to the temple on that particular day and he met baby Jesus. It was not just coincidence and he saw in that moment the big picture of God’s perfect timing as His divine plan continued to unfold. 

Likewise, Anna had been a widow for a long time and gave most of her days to worshiping, fasting, and praying in the temple. She, too, met Jesus on that day and gave thanks to God for His fulfilled promise to redeem Jerusalem.  

We serve a God who is faithful to keep His promises and to bring restoration to our broken world, even when we don’t understand His timing. He has been doing so since the beginning of time, continues to do so in our present day, and will do so into eternity. As you wait on promises from God, do you find yourself asking, “How long, Lord,” as Simeon and Anna likely did? Do you wonder sometimes if God has forgotten you? 

In our waiting, the prophet Isaiah reminds us that God doesn’t grow tired and He gives strength to the weary. Because His power is made perfect in our weakness, when we hope in the Lord He will renew our strength.

So, in this season of joy and contemplation, take inspiration from Simeon and Anna, waiting witnesses of the Christmas story.  Our God keeps His promises in His perfect timing. He is faithful.

Additional reading: Isaiah 40:27-31