Advent Day 19: Luke 2:236-38

Read & Journal

Read Luke 2:36-38. Let any or all of the following questions guide you as you mull over what you’ve read.

• What do you learn about Anna’s character from these verses?

• What words or phrases reveal Anna’s devotion to God?

• Anna’s response to seeing Jesus was immediate; she began praising God. How have you seen God at work in your life this week? How will you praise Him for it today?

Ponder

It’s unclear whether the reference to 84 years refers to Anna’s age or how long she had lived as a widow, but the implication is clear: Anna was old. But like Simeon, she was also devout and righteous, with a heart centered on God and in tune to what He was doing in the world. It would have been highly irregular for a woman to actually live in the temple, but the phrase stresses Anna’s devotion. Worship, prayer, fasting, seeking the Lord—these were the actions that characterized her life.

When Anna came along, just as Simeon handed Jesus back to His amazed parents, her immediate response was praise. Anna recognized that God was at work and she thanked Him for it. And then she turned to the others, who like Anna and Simeon had been “waiting expectantly” (v. 38, NLT; “looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem,” CSB), and celebrated that God’s promised redemption had come.

Read the words of Isaiah 9:6-7 again today, aloud. Let the title and names roll over you. To Simeon, Jesus was his consolation—his comfort and hope, salvation in the flesh. To Anna, He was the promised Redeemer, the one who would buy back His people from sin, giving His life for theirs.

Who is He to you today? Hope is here. Salvation has come. In a world of darkness, Jesus is the one true light. Let your praises join Anna and Simeon’s today as you praise God for what He has done in Jesus.