Waiting for Redemption
Luke 2:36 – There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, having been married to her husband for seven years until his death. 37 – She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 – At that moment, she came up to them and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Anna was probably over 100 years old having devoted her remaining years after marriage to worshiping God with fasting and prayer – waiting with other believers. She was a prophetess, a messenger, and recognized the child Jesus when she saw Him with his parents.
You know, it’s not such a bad thing to devote one’s life to God with fasting and prayer and to speak about Jesus with all those who are waiting for redemption. One day the waiting will end and Jesus will come again. We will recognize Him, not with fear and dread, but with joy because we know Him. But sometimes we struggle with waiting.
For this is what the master, the LORD, the Holy One of Israel says: “If you repented and patiently waited for me, you would be delivered; if you calmly trusted in me you would find strength, but you are unwilling. You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’ so you will indeed flee. You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’ so your pursuers will be fast. One thousand will scurry at the battle cry of one enemy soldier; at the battle cry of five enemy soldiers you will all run away, until the remaining few are as isolated as a flagpole on a mountain top or a signal flag on a hill.” For this reason the LORD is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. Indeed, the LORD is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed. – Isaiah 30:15-18.
Let’s wait for Jesus in faith. Let’s repent and calmly trust in Him and we will have all the strength we need to endure this life, like Anna, until His return.
Where two are gathered 