What has God promised you? How many years ago was that promise delivered? How are you responding to His prompting in regards to that promise? Do you still believe that He who promised is faithful and able to do just as He said even if we don’t know when or are you at the point where you are tired of waiting and want to move on to other things and forget this promise? Every time you are tempted to move on and forget the tarrying promise, remember Simeon in Luke chapter 2. Abraham may seem such a big deal and very Old Testament but Simeon is not that long ago.

Simeon waited until he was old still, he did not give up. At a time when some of us would have concluded that God has failed us because He did not deliver as promised when we expected Him to, Simeon waited all his life and didn’t give up. He was convinced that this God is faithful. That He does whatever He says. He knew it wasn’t his mind deceiving him: God had promised. He was convinced that God is a promise Keeper. That is the only reason anyone would wait until it was past the prime of life and still be waiting.

It didn’t matter how many times death tried to take him out, hope kept him alive. Why? Because God promised that he will not see death until he has seen His Son. So come whatever sicknesses, even debilitating health conditions, Simeon knew he was going nowhere yet. Everyone else around him may be considering his condition and preparing for his funeral but that man knew he was going nowhere until that promise was fulfilled. There are some things you cannot explain to others because they will never understand. Deep down, like Mary the mother of Jesus did most times, this man nursed this hope to keep it warm and alive while he waited.

Then that day came and like every other day, the same steps of obedience he took, to the same temple each time, brought a different result. By obedience, He walked into what he had waited all his life for. Yes, God brought it to pass but if Simeon had not obeyed and gone into the temple at the time the Holy Spirit prompted him, he may have missed what he waited all his life for. He was waiting for God to bring the promise to Him. God brought it into the temple but he had to choose to obey and go the remaining steps to the temple at the very time he was prompted to experience the promise.

Had he said later, the story would have ended differently. We cannot choose when we obey. If God says, “Go,” don’t tell him, “Ok, later.” If we must experience the best God has for us, we must be willing to be prompt in our obedience to His instruction. As soon as he was prompted, old and frail as he was, Simeone was up and in the temple. And right before him was the very promise he had waited all his life for. If you will continue to be faithful, and prompt in your obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you can be certain that you will not miss the promise whenever and wherever God chooses to deliver it.

Blessings
Glory!