Living 4 Him

“My hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:5 (NIV)

You won’t find Simeon and Anna standing in any Nativity scenes, but their presence after Jesus’ birth points us to the reality of who Jesus was and his importance to this world. 

Simeon and Anna enter the Christmas story in the second half of Luke chapter 2, eight days after Jesus was born.  Jewish law required a dedication and a circumcision at eight days old for male babies. In compliance with this custom, Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, setting the stage for their encounter with Simeon and Anna.

Simeon is described as a devout man, steadily looking toward the redemption of Israel.  In Simeon’s prayers to God, the Holy Spirit revealed that he would see the face of the Messiah before he died. Led by the Spirit to the temple that day, Simeon sees Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus, so he takes Jesus in his arms and expresses these words:

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised, I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Luke 2:29-32)

Simeon’s joyful outburst grabs Anna’s attention.  Three verses in Luke tell us about Anna. (Luke 2:36-38)  Anna grew up in the tribe of Asher and became a widow at a young age.  Now, at 84 years old, she spends each day at the temple, praying and worshipping God. Gazing upon the face of Jesus, Anna’s unceasing devotion is rewarded.  With great urgency and excitement she tells anyone and everyone about the tiny child who has brought hope to their land!

Both old . . . Both faithful . . . Both rewarded by God’s presence!

Simeon and Anna provide a holy example of joyfully responding to God’s existence and the enduring hope that sustained them.  

Simeon praised God in a litany of enthusiasm.  Anna reached out to others with glorious truth revealed in the face of a tiny baby.  The God who brought meaning to their lives was worthy of all praise and needed to be shared among the struggling world. Our response to God’s heavenly gift is no different; we give thanks to God who comes near, and we share the goodness of his love with others.

Simeon and Anna both embodied a faith that led to hope. Praying . . . reading scripture . . . worshipping . . . listening . . . daily decisions to follow God.  Their beliefs ballooned into hope that was eventually fulfilled.  Simeon and Anna lived out John Calvin’s definition of hope: “The word hope I take for faith; and indeed, hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.”

We live on the other side of Simeon and Anna’s hope.  The baby dedicated in the temple grew into our Savior.  His Spirit is our constant companion.  Our hope is securely fastened on his daily presence with us and on the truth that one day he will return and restore the parts of this earth lost to sin.

“Our Christian hope is that we’re going to live with Christ in a new earth, where there is not only no more death, but where life is what it was always meant to be.” Timothy Keller

As a new year begins, let hope be the main ingredient to mix into the events of each day.  God’s heavenly hope is ours and when his hope is believed, praised and shared, glorious happenings occur!

Reaching in (allowing God’s word to work in your soul):  Read Simeon and Anna’s story (Luke 2:22-38) to find other insight to their faith.

Reaching out (taking God’s word into the world): Use the quotes and scriptures below to nourish your own hope in 2026 and share that hope with others!

Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances we know to be desperate.  G.K. Chesterton

Hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. Psalm 130:7 (NKJV)

Even when our situation appears to be impossible, our work is to “hope in God.” Our hope will not be in vain, and in the Lord’s own timing hope will come.  George Mueller

I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8 (AMP)