I visit two elderly women from time to time. One has no financial worries, is fit for her age, and lives in her own home. But she can always find something negative to say. The other is crippled with arthritis and rather forgetful. She lives in simple accommodations, and keeps a reminder pad so she wont forget her appointments. But to every visitor to her tiny apartment, her first comment is always the same: God is so good to me. Handing her the reminder pad on my last visit, I noticed that she had written the day before Out to lunch tomorrow! Wonderful! Another happy day.
Anna was a prophetess at the time of Jesus birth, and her circumstances were hard (Luke 2:36-37). Widowed early and possibly childless, she may have felt purposeless and destitute. But her focus was on God and serving Him. She was yearning for the Messiah, but in the meantime she was busy about Gods businesspraying, fasting, and teaching others all that she had learned from Him.
Finally the day arrived when shenow in her eightiessaw the infant Messiah in his young mothers arms. All her patient waiting was worthwhile. Her heart sang with joy as she praised God and then passed the glad news on to others.
INSIGHT
: Two people in Scripture are specifically mentioned as seeing and recognizing Jesus as the Messiah when He was an infant. Both Simeon and Anna, faithful servants of God, were blessed with seeing the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25) and redemption in Jerusalem (v. 38). Luke records Simeon meeting the infant Jesus in 2:25-35 and Anna in verses 36-38. Anna was of great age (v. 36) and Simeon was most likely elderly as well (v. 26). Often in Scripture the passing of time plays an important role, showing that God is faithful to His promises. Simeon and Anna both waited faithfully for the Messiah and were rewarded by seeing Jesus before they died.
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Amen. And, thanks for today's beautiful DB message.