Waiting on the World to Change
Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting
Pastor Bob Henry
January 11, 2026
Good morning, Friends, and welcome to Light Reflections. The scripture I have chosen for this morning is from Luke 2:25-35 from the New Revised Standard Version.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”
As I was writing this message, it seemed only appropriate to turn on John Mayer’s song, “Waiting on the World to Change.” Much like Simeon in our scripture for today, John Mayer gives us a modern anthem or maybe I should say “cry of our heart” for a needed change to come. I know many of you are crying out these same words to the chorus.
So, we keep a-waiting (Waiting)
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting (Waiting)
Waiting on the world to change
It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So, we keep a-waiting (Waiting)
Waiting on the world to change
How many of you like to wait?
I am sure just by asking that, some of you had an anxiety spike. You just went back to a time that tested your patience. Maybe it was even associated with a person who made you wait.
Yet isn’t life filled with situations that cause us to wait?
Over the course of our lives, we spend a lot of time waiting in various contexts and for various amounts of time. Some waiting periods are only a few minutes, while others spend years or their whole lives just simply waiting.
It is clear when one takes a moment to ponder waiting that we know the importance of waiting.
Take these thoughts for instance. I am sure you have heard almost all of these at some time or maybe they were sent to you in a greeting card, or you have seen them posted on notes or a poster. Many of these I pulled from sources right around my desk at home.
· Waiting is an act of faith, a silent affirmation that life will unfold its blessings in the perfect time, teaching us hope and resilience.
· True love often requires waiting because hearts that are meant to be together find their way despite delays and distance, strengthening bonds through patience.
· Waiting teaches us to embrace uncertainty gracefully, understanding that every pause allows reflection, learning, and preparation for the opportunities ahead.
· Hope grows stronger during waiting because it encourages belief in better days and reminds us that perseverance brings fulfillment and joy.
· Sometimes waiting is the most powerful action, allowing time for clarity, wisdom, and emotional growth before making decisions that shape our future.
· Patience during waiting transforms anxiety into serenity, reminding us that every delay has a lesson and every pause brings insight.
· Waiting for someone or something important cultivates inner strength and teaches us to value every moment of the journey, not just the destination.
· Life asks us to wait so we can learn, grow, and appreciate the moments we often take for granted while rushing forward.
· Waiting is not passive; it is a process of trusting timing, building resilience, and preparing for the outcomes we hope to achieve.
· Sometimes the most meaningful rewards come to those who wait patiently and embrace the journey with hope and unwavering faith.
These are just a few of the things that we say and believe in our culture about waiting.
Even as Quakers, I’d say it’s common for us to discuss and ponder waiting.
Someone once told me Quakers are known for silence, waiting, and falling asleep while doing both.
I have been in many Quaker circles where someone has been nudged to share Ecclesiastes 3:1,
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
Then they just sat back down and continued to wait.
I even knew a Quaker who loved to sigh deeply and under his breath say, “All in God’s Time.”
But even if we say we believe these words, in many cases, our lives, thoughts, and emotions do not reflect such belief.
Let’s be honest, I don’t think there is much difference between God’s time and ours. The Bible is full of waiting. My religious experience has been full of times of waiting. For goodness sakes, each week after I preach or if you go to unprogrammed worship, we enter a time of what we actually call, “WAITING WORSHIP.”
Quakers embrace waiting (sometimes maybe way too much). But listen to what we say about it.
Waiting is an active, trusting posture of surrendering to the Divine’s timing and will, finding joy and purpose in the Divine even during difficult or uncertain seasons, rather than passively hoping, it involves focusing on the Divine’s character and past faithfulness to build hope for the future.
Too often in the world and even among Friends waiting can be interpreted as simply silence thus indicating the Divine isn’t doing anything.
I have people ask me all the time about Waiting Worship or Unprogrammed Worship. They say,
“If nothing is said the entire time, is the Divine really doing anything. Or are people just thinking about what they need to do after worship.”
I have had others say,
“It seems like just sitting in silence is a way to never have to respond to the nudging of the Spirit.”
I believe wholeheartedly that during any time of waiting worship the Divine is tapping on our hearts, the Spirit is nudging us to respond, that the silence is there to help us hear that still small voice of the Divine as the Psalmist says.
I have walked away from completely silent meetings finding clarity with what I was being called to say or do and on other occasions, I feel left to wait until more clarity comes.
But most of my experience involves my posture and my attentiveness to the Spirit’s nudging. I can get distracted easily, but I must focus on what is happening inside my soul and not let the outside world win me over.
That is why waiting worship is often called a discipline.
Our scripture for today introduced us to Simeon (if I did not know he was Jewish, I would say Simeon was clearly a Quaker). We don’t know much about him, and nearly all we do know is found in the beginning of the Gospel of Luke which Patrick read for us this morning.
The testimony of Simeon that was read as our scriptures for today may be brief, but it really points out why Simeon has become a metaphor and example for waiting.
Let me go through some of Simeon’s facts:
Simeon was said to be righteous and devout man.
Simeon was waiting for the consolation (or restoration) of Israel, and the Spirit had been nudging him to wait for it. The Spirit also had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the one who would bring this restoration period.
That day the Spirit had nudged Simeon to go to the temple, maybe while he was meditating or praying at home.
I would say from what we know, Simeon was actively waiting. He was in a trusting posture and fully surrendered to the Spirit’s timing.
Simeon is presented Jesus and what does he say (the good Quaker that he is)? He says, My eyes now see what it is you have been saying to me, and not only is it in the form of a baby, but he says, this is a “light of revelation” to the Gentiles. Like I said, he even sounds like a Quaker, calling Jesus the Light.
Simeon is to be considered an old man – and some think he had been waiting a long time, even coming to the temple every day. I am not sure about that. I sense many of the people in his life had passed on, and he had very little left in this world, and he was clinging to his faith for the coming generations.
I imagine him waiting fervently but still going about his daily duties. On this day, as he sat silently meditating, the Spirit nudged him to get up and go to the temple. And in his obedience to that nudge, he was offered a glimpse of hope.
Simeon declares this is not just another baby, but the one that will light a fire in our hearts and send us out with a message of hope and of being rescued from harm, risk, and destruction (which is what salvation translates to mean).
Folks, this means that Simeon’s words make the work and life of Jesus a universal example and hope for the entire world. Sure, this is a messiah for the Jews (Simeon recognizes that as a Jew himself), but he also knows it is greater than that.
This Christ figure is the “Light of Revelation.” The exact same “Light of Revelation” that is offered to and available to ALL people.
And did you notice when Simeon has his eyes opened and realizes why the Spirit nudged him to go, he didn’t shake his at God saying, “Why did it take You so long, huh?” Like we might have, as we sit here waiting on the world to change.
No, instead, Simeon rejoiced! I can see him leaping for joy realizing the Spirit had finally answered his waiting on the world to change.
Think about it, when you and I are in a season of waiting, how often do we shake our fist at the Divine? How often do we yell out, “Where are you right now, why can’t I hear you, are you even there?”
How often does our season of waiting bring us, like Simeon, closer to the Divine, rather than pull us away?
Simeon is an example of faith, trust, and patience we can all learn from, because he is an example of actively waiting on the Spirit’s nudging, trusting and surrendering to the Divine’s timing and will, and finding joy and purpose in that revelation.
I wish I could say, every time I enter waiting worship or a time of waiting that I am drawn closer to the Divine, but the reality is that it is often after an entire season of waiting comes to a close, and I look back and realize and see the Spirit’s direction in my life. That is why I encourage people to take some time to do their own spiritual mapping and look back on their life and see where the Spirit has been faithful and involved, when we have responded to the nudge, or answered the call.
I am thankful for examples like Simeon that are put in scripture to remind us of this important discipline.
Maybe like Simeon, the older we get, the closer we become to trusting and abiding in the Divine fully during the waiting, rather than simply wanting it to be over.
I also sense in this that the Divine is also “Waiting on the World to Change” - but THROUGH US, since we have the Light of Revelation in us. I sense the Divine is willing to wait with us until we finally open our eyes and ears and acknowledge the nudging and act upon it.
So yes, we are waiting on the world to change, but let us do it trusting that the Light of Revelation in us will not keep us waiting from a distance, but actively seeking what our role will be in the rescue of or neighbors and friends from the world’s harm, risk, and destruction.
Now, let us take a moment to center down and enter our time of waiting worship. Remember that this time of waiting is an active, trusting posture of surrendering to the Divine’s timing and will, finding joy and purpose in the Divine even during the difficult or uncertain seasons of life. I have provided a few queries for us to ponder:
How am I with waiting? How can I make it more of a discipline in my life?
Does my time of waiting draw me closer to the Divine?
How is the “Light of Revelation” being made known in my life?