She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. – Luke 2:37-38
Tuesday morning the men’s Bible study completed our whirlwind tour of the Old Testament in the book of Malachi. Next there is close to 500 years of relative silence before the appearance of the Angel Gabriel, who tells Zechariah that he and Elizabeth are going to have a baby, John, who “will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born” (Luke 1:15).
Five Hundred Years.
But it’s not that the people disappear during this time. They live, they work, they attend synagogue, they come to Jerusalem to the Temple, they continue for the most part to do their best and to live within whatever empire or regime is currently exerting control, they marry and they have children and – most importantly – they continue to tell the story to the next generation.
They wait; and waiting is not nothing.
A little later in Luke’s account, Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus to the temple where they run into two elderly people, Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38). Both have been waiting patiently to see “your salvation,” and “the redemption of Jerusalem.”
For Simeon and Anna, waiting looked like prayer, and faithfulness, and worship, and speaking encouraging words to those around them.
In other words, waiting is not nothing; waiting can be an active and deliberate act of faith.
I do not know that I am good at that kind of waiting. But at the same time I am someone who believes profoundly in spiritual ideals such as “hope” and “promise.” And the word that is coming to me from the Spirit through scriptures this morning is that I had better learn the connection between aspirations such as hope (and promise) and disciplines such as faithfulness in prayer and worship.
I am going to say that again:
I had better learn the connection between aspirations such as hope (and promise) and disciplines such as faithfulness in prayer and worship.
That is likely enough for today. Peace – DEREK