Thursday, December 28, 2017

"Now there was a man..." (Luke 2:25)

(Artwork by Grace MacLeod, used by permission)

"Now there was a man"
Who'd been told he would see
The awaited Messiah
Before his death came to be.

How long did he wait,
After receiving that word?
How many nights dreaming
Of that promise he'd heard?

How many prayers
Did this Simeon pray
For the great consolation
That seemed so far away?

Did so many visits
Feel like such a great price –
All those walks to the temple
In search of the Christ?

Who was this good man –
This man without tribe –
Who represented his nation
In all that he cried?

Surely it pained him
At times through the years,
But God's Spirit was with him
To collect all his tears.

But then the day came –
Though nothing set it apart
Except for one Child
Whom he knew in his heart.

The Spirit did tell him
That this was the Boy –
The awaited Messiah!
And it gave him such joy!

The parents brought doves,
As gifts of the poor;
Though they were richer than any,
And their acceptance was sure.

For the child that they brought
To present unto God,
Had just come from heaven
Where angels He awed.

The man longed to hold Him,
He had waited so long –
A lifetime of waiting for He
Who would right all that's wrong.

He said this was the One
Who would save all the world,
His life and his purpose was
Heaven's banner unfurled.

So how did he feel
With his heart now replete;

His heart overflowing;
His life's longings complete?

He would never stop thinking
Of that baby he saw,
And as he pondered God's goodness,
He felt nothing but awe.

© 2017 by Ken Peters

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