She . . . spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38
On a busy day before Christmas, an aged woman approached the mail counter at my crowded neighborhood post office. Watching her slow pace, the patient postal clerk greeted her, “Well hello, young lady!” His words were friendly, but some might hear them saying that “younger” is better.
The Bible inspires us to see that advanced age can motivate our hope. As the infant Jesus is brought to the temple by Joseph and Mary, to be consecrated (Luke 2:23; see Exodus 13:2, 12), two elderly believers suddenly take center stage.
First, Simeon—who’d been waiting for years to see the Messiah—“took [Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘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’ ” (Luke 2:28–31).
Then Anna, a “very old” prophet (v. 36), came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph. A widow who’d been married only seven years, she’d lived in the temple to age eighty-four. Never leaving, she “worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” When she saw Jesus, she began praising God, explaining about “the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (vv. 37–38).
These two hopeful servants remind us to never stop waiting on God—no matter our age—with great expectations.
Read: Luke 2:25-32, 36-38 (NIV)
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.k He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,l and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,m 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,n
you may now dismissd your servant in peace.o
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,p
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”q
36 There was also a prophet,t Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.e u She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.v 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.w
INSIGHT
- What lessons have you learned from elderly believers about God’s faithfulness?
- How does their hopefulness inspire you?
Most Israelites were anticipating the arrival of Messiah, and one might expect that the religious leaders would have been among them. Yet they seemed to miss Him despite the signs and prophecy (see Matthew 2:1–6). In contrast, Luke 2 informs us of Simeon and Anna, who recognized Him at once. What made the difference? In the case of Simeon and Anna, they actively sought out a close relationship with God. The text says of Simeon, “Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts” (v. 27), indicating that he was customarily sensitive to God’s leading. As for Anna, it appears she literally lived at the temple (v. 37). Both Simeon and Anna knew what the arrival of the Christ child meant.
PRAYER
Dear faithful Father, when I lose hope, remind me to wait expectantly for You. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!!
Read: Luke 2:25-32, 36-38 (NIV) | Bible in a Year: Daniel 3-4; 1 John 5
