Luke 2:25-35 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So, he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” ]And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:36-38 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Anna choose to go God’s way. Rather than devoting herself to the ways of the world, she devoted herself to the ways of God’s Word, to being a woman of worship and prayer. She chose to serve and trust God for the rest of her life in ministry and found her life purpose in Jesus. A hope-filled life is constantly searching for God’s presence and purpose in life’s pain. There are things that happen in life that we cannot imagine how we are going to recover from them. Pain is a part of a fallen world, but can be viewed through the lens of the hope of God. When our world falls apart, we need to cling to the One who holds the world.
Painful life circumstances offer all of us a choice. We can succumb to the pain of life or we can search for the presence of the power and purpose of God in the midst of it. We all could use a fresh dose of hope going into 2021. What I’m talking about is a hope-filled life. It starts with taking our eyes off the pain and suffering in our life that lead to sadness and depression, and searching for the power and presence of God in this moment right now. All of us could spend more time in fasting and prayer, reading our Bibles, seeking the face of God and having a constant awareness of His presence. How are you seeking God in these times and circumstances today? Continue to seek hope in the darkness. Psalm 130:5-6 “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his Word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” God’s plan is for God’s people to have a hope and a future.
A hope-filled life with be noticeable and must be shared. 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” What draws people to Christ is the hope that is in you. The Gospel is good news and when the hope of God is in you, then you naturally want to share it. Psalms 96:3 says, “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” The wonder and hope that is in you is Jesus. The more that we see and obey Jesus as Lord, the more we will experience hope, because we build our lives of a solid and lasting foundation, and others will ask you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
In Christ, Brian
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