There was a man from long ago,
Who dreamed a dream gone by –
Watching, waiting, for the One –
He’d see before He died.
Simeon, they called him,
Righteous, devout and old –
Weathered by his waiting,
Of a promise long foretold.
He said the Spirit told him,
The Messiah would be born,
To console and save His people,
And kingdoms that were torn.
I sat there in the temple,
He walked by me to pray –
Never here before,
But prompted to come that day.
Lo, behold, a mother,
Walked in, with swaddled child –
Helpless in my eyes,
Tender and so mild.
I watched as Simeon held him,
And marveled at the way –
Someone could wait a lifetime,
For this moment, on this day.
Patient in the journey,
And now, he seemed complete –
The fruition of God’s promise,
And Faith, his greatest feat.
I wrestled with my thoughts,
The series of my Whys –
How could this child, now born,
Give peace, for him to die.
How could one bank his life,
Upon a word you hear?
How could he simply know,
The Grace of God, appeared?
I had so many visions,
Dreams for which I longed –
And in the empty echoes,
It seemed I had been wronged.
How could a little baby,
Make his soul fulfilled?
How could new life, make death,
Seem joyful to his will.
Perplexed by this occurrence,
He explained it all to me –
This child, a door of Hope,
Into eternity.
A vision, old and ancient,
Its appointed time was here,
Hope had come to brighten,
The darkness of our fears.
And just as he gave Simeon,
A promise not in vain,
This Christ, had come to redeem,
My sorrow, hurt, and pain.
Mine eyes had seen God’s glory,
For years, but not the Lord –
But now, with unveiled face,
I saw true grace that poured.
That poured out through this child,
A promise made and kept –
Messiah of the World,
For which he later wept.
He’d walk my road with love,
He’d fight for me, to win,
He’d carried that old Cross,
And forgive all of my sins.
Hope had come that day,
And hope has come, this Eve –
God with us, we know –
So may our hearts believe!
Believe that through the shadows,
The valleys, tears, and nights –
Our Savior Jesus guides us, with
Heaven’s Glorious Light.
Amidst the things unseen,
We call this Hope to mind –
While we wait with eager longing,
In Him, our joy, we find.
So let your heart make room,
For Jesus on this night –
Hope has come forever,
Our faith has turned to sight!
Simeon lived for a moment,
But we, my friends, can sing –
Future, past and present,
Christ lives, our glorious King!
And someday, He will say,
Welcome home, my son;
Against all Hope, you stood,
And now your Faith has won.