Have you ever waited for a long time for something you hoped would happen? Did it finally happen? How did you respond? Are there things you are currently hoping will happen? What is your hope based on? Is it based on the reliability of someone doing something they have promised? Let me share with you what I’ve learned.
One of the amazing stories of faith and hope is the story of the Prophetess Anna. “And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple,
worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:36-38 (ESV) As I read this story which there are a few things that standout to me. We find Anna comes from the tribe of Asher, which was known to be prosperous and blessed by God and expected to obey God. And this fits Anna well. I also see that she is very old for that time. I also see that she is a widow after a seven-year marriage. I would assume it meant she was probably a widow for more than fifty-years and she remained pure for all those years.
I also see that she spent those years in the temple fasting and praying. I believe she was well acquainted with God and His Holy Spirit. God blessed her by giving her the knowledge of Jesus the Messiah because as Jesus was coming into the temple for the purification ceremony Anna was thanking God and speaking to everyone who would listen about the redemption of Israel which is through Jesus the Messiah. She was sharing hope from the only true source of hope.
I believe Anna was just a normal person like me. She had no special abilities, but her “superpower” was her belief in God, and this helped her wait on God. That was her hope, and it is also my hope. If you do not have this kind of hope, then you can get it. It is easy all you have to do is believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.
I pray you too like Anna will place your hope in the only true source of hope. That you will trust the promises of God and realize the same hope Anna lived with. It is through a relationship with God through Jesus that solves the problem of sin and brings us hope in the present and the future. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy in our everyday lives. Understanding how Jesus Christ grants us access to eternal life, allows us to live in hope. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ will also bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
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You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
