After our children were born, I began praying for their future spouses. I was praying for women that I would wait years to meet. I had no clue how, or even if, my prayers would be answered. A few times, I would see someone and wonder if they might be the answer. But the answers to my prayers, my daughters-in-love, came along at just the perfect time.
As I contemplate Anna’s role in Advent, I can see that she prayed and fasted for decades. She patiently hoped for answers she might not see. But our gracious God did allow her to see Christ, the long-awaited Messiah. I wonder if her prayer life helped bring about Mary’s miraculous pregnancy. And I wonder if her prayer life helped prepare Elizabeth to counsel Mary.
I believe our prayers do have an impact on others. Directly or indirectly. But sometimes, like Anna, we might pray for years and years before we see answers. And we may never know who God blessed through our prayers.
In Luke 2:36–38, Anna the prophetess spends decades in prayer and fasting in the Temple, awaiting “the redemption of Jerusalem.” In the context of Advent, she represents:
Patient Hope
Her decades of prayer mirror Advent’s theme of waiting.
Spiritual Transformation
Advent is not merely about anticipation, but about being spiritually transformed to recognize Christ when He comes.
Faithful Perseverance
Her perseverance assures believers that unseen faithfulness matters deeply in God’s plan.
A Joyful Witness
When Anna recognizes the infant Jesus, she immediately proclaims Him to others who have been waiting for redemption. Advent moves us from quiet waiting to joyful proclamation: the Messiah has arrived.
A Link Between Promise and Fulfillment
Anna’s prayer and fasting reveal a bridge from Old Covenant longing to New Covenant fulfillment.
In this season of Advent, Anna’s lifestyle of prayer and fasting teaches us that those who wait with prayerful hearts will rejoice when Christ comes. I wonder if our prayers, as we count down to Christmas, will impact those around us? May we hold on to hope, get prepared, and open our hearts to proclaim Christ with joy in this season!
*For those of you who prayer walk, let’s ponder these words of Advent: hope, preparation, and joy. And for this week’s phone screensaver, click here.